Prime Minister

Russia: Foreign Relations

Keith Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister, when she last held discussions with President Putin.

Mrs Theresa May: I held a bilateral meeting with President Putin in the margins of the G20 Summit in September. Discussions covered Syria and our bilateral relationship.

Commonwealth Secretariat

Keith Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister, when she last met the Secretary General of the Commonwealth.

Mrs Theresa May: I met the Secretary General of the Commonwealth at the UN General Assembly in September 2016. The Minister for the Commonwealth, The Rt Hon. Baroness Anelay of St Johns DBE, meets regularly with the Secretary General, and did so most recently on 21 December 2016.

Yemen: Foreign Relations

Keith Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister, when she last held discussions with President Hadi of Yemen.

Mrs Theresa May: I have not yet held discussions with the President of Yemen though the UK engages regularly with President Hadi. Most recently, Minister Ellwood called President Hadi on 15 January.The UK government continues to stress to all parties that a political solution is the best way to bring long-term stability to Yemen and end the conflict.

USA: Torture

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Prime Minister, whether she raised the use of torture as an interrogation technique by US intelligence services at her meeting with President Trump on 27 January 2017.

Tom Brake: To ask the Prime Minister, whether she discussed with President Trump tackling money laundering by Russian officers implicated in military operations in Syria in her recent visit to the US.

Tom Brake: To ask the Prime Minister, whether she raised the Trump administration's potential support for recognising the Russian occupation of Crimea during her recent visit to the US.

Mrs Theresa May: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs West) on 31 January 2017, UIN 50210.

Prime Minister: Ministerial Policy Advisers

Keith Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister, what the total number of special advisers working at Number 10 is, by (a) gender and (b) ethnic minority background.

Mrs Theresa May: A list of special advisers was published on 21st December 2016, and copies have been placed in the libraries of both Houses. Information on the gender and ethnicity of special advisers is not routinely collected.

Prime Minister: Security

Jon Trickett: To ask the Prime Minister, which persons not employed by 10 Downing Street hold security passes entitling them to enter 10 Downing Street premises.

Mrs Theresa May: Following the practice followed by past administrations, the Government does not comment on security matters.

Department for Work and Pensions

Jobcentres: Glasgow

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people using Cambuslang Jobcentre have been informed in writing of the closure of that jobcentre.

Damian Hinds: It is important to remember that the announcements made in relation to the Written Statement of 26 January 2017 are proposals at this stage and not final decisions. Once a final decision is made, claimants will be informed at an appropriate time prior to any office move.

Jobcentres: Glasgow

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when an equality impact assessment will be published on the proposal to close Cambuslang Jobcentre.

Damian Hinds: We will be undertaking an equality analysis as part of the detailed planning for service reconfiguration. This will include feedback from public consultation in those locations where this applies.

Jobcentres: Glasgow

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the expected costs are of the proposal to relocate staff and resources from Cambuslang Jobcentre.

Damian Hinds: We are not yet in a position to share an estimated figure due to commercial confidentiality pending completion of legal processes and staff consultations. We expect to make savings for the tax payer from merging offices by reducing running costs and making best use of office space available.

Jobcentres: Glasgow

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants are currently served by (a) Cambuslang and (b) Rutherglen Jobcentres; and how many such claimants are (i) disabled and (ii) women.

Damian Hinds: The claimant count for Cambuslang is 410 of which 130 are female. The claimant count for Rutherglen is 465 of which 135 are female. This information is available from the following link: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5. Guidance for users is available at:https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/home/newuser.asp  These are UC and JSA claimants served by Cambuslang and Rutherglen Jobcentres. We are unable to identify disabled claimants, or provide exact figures of ESA and IS claimants, however the purpose of the equality analysis is to help establish how many people are likely to be affected by the proposal.

Jobcentres: Glasgow

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment has been made of the effect on the local economy of the proposal to relocate jobs from Cambuslang Jobcentre to Rutherglen Jobcentre.

Damian Hinds: We have carefully considered the wider impacts on local communities when developing our proposals for Cambuslang and Rutherglen jobcentres. The economic impact of employment is dispersed beyond the specific location of a workplace and the staff currently based at Cambuslang jobcentre already live in the broader area around the site. While we expect all these staff to move to Rutherglen jobcentre, it is unlikely that a significant proportion of them will also move their place of residence.

Jobcentres: Glasgow

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether any compulsory redundancies will result from the closure of Cambuslang Jobcentre.

Damian Hinds: The Department for Work and Pensions is now consulting with colleagues at Cambuslang Jobcentre. We are seeking to relocate, or offer alternative roles, to all employees affected by the proposed closure and we anticipate that we will be able to redeploy everyone to Rutherglen Jobcentre. It is important to stress that this is a proposed closure: we will make a final decision informed by the consultation process with our colleagues. We are not therefore in a position to comment on the potential for redundancy.

Jobcentres: Glasgow

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, by what criteria Cambuslang Jobcentre has been selected for closure.

Damian Hinds: The Department has sought to merge together multiple sites in close proximity. Merging the staff and services from Cambuslang into Rutherglen Jobcentre maximises use of space and offers good value for money.

Work and Health Programme

Corri Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the financial allocation to the Work and Health Programme by his Department will be in each of the next five years.

Penny Mordaunt: The Department announced on 30 January our intention to provide around £100m of funding to London and Greater Manchester to develop, procure and deliver localised versions of the new Work and Health Programme to fit the needs of their residents. In addition, the Department has launched a commercial process to let contracts with a total value in excess of £400m for the Work and Health Programme in the rest of England and Wales. We are also in discussion with the Scottish Government about devolving an appropriate level of funding for equivalent support they may wish to offer. At this point we cannot confirm the financial allocation for each of the next five years as this will be dependent on the outcomes of the commercial process and agreements with HMT on funding beyond the current Spending Review period.

Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether an equality impact assessment has been undertaken for the proposed relocation of the medical assessment centre from Russell House to Wallacetoun in Ayr.

Damian Hinds: We will be undertaking an equality analysis as part of the detailed planning for the proposed relocation of the medical assessment centre in Ayr.

Department for Work and Pensions: East Ayrshire

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the expected costs are of the proposal to relocate staff and resources from Cumnock administration centre.

Damian Hinds: We are not yet in a position to share an estimated figure due to commercial confidentiality pending completion of legal processes and staff consultations. We expect to make savings for the tax payer from merging offices by reducing running costs and making best use of office space available.

Department for Work and Pensions: East Ayrshire

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment has been made of the effect on the local economy of the proposal to relocate jobs from Cumnock administration centre.

Damian Hinds: We have entered a period of consultation with our staff at Cumnock Killoch House and will be undertaking internal discussions about the options for relocation. It is important to stress that this is a proposal at this stage and we will make a final decision following the consultation process with our colleagues. DWP has a significant presence in Scotland and staff at Cumnock will be offered the opportunity to relocate to other parts of DWP wherever possible.

Department for Work and Pensions: East Ayrshire

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether a public consultation is planned on the proposal to close Cumnock administration centre.

Damian Hinds: A public consultation will not take place on the proposal to close Cumnock Kiloch House, as this is a back of house function and does not affect the services delivered by our jobcentres. However, we have entered a period of consultation with our staff at Cumnock Kiloch House and will be undertaking internal discussions about the options for relocation. It is important to stress that this is a proposal at this stage and we will make a final decision following the consultation process with our colleagues. DWP is retaining a significant presence in Scotland and staff at Cumnock will be offered the opportunity to relocate to other parts of DWP wherever possible.

Jobcentres: Edinburgh

Deidre  Brock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants are currently served by the Edinburgh city centre jobcentre on South St Andrew Street.

Damian Hinds: Edinburgh City claimant count is currently shared with High Riggs Jobcentre and primarily split by age group as opposed to postcode. The claimant count for High Riggs is 2245. This information is available from the following link: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5. Guidance for users is available at:https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/home/newuser.asp These are UC and JSA claimants served by Edinburgh City and High Riggs Jobcentres. We are unable to provide exact figures of ESA and IS claimants potentially affected, however the purpose of the equality analysis is to help establish how many people are likely to be affected by the proposal.

Jobcentres: Edinburgh

Deidre  Brock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans that compulsory redundancies will result from the closure of the Edinburgh city centre jobcentre on South St Andrew Street.

Damian Hinds: The Department for Work and Pensions is now consulting with colleagues at South St Andrew’s Street Jobcentre. We are seeking to relocate, or offer alternative roles, to all employees affected by the proposed closure. It is important to stress that this is a proposed closure: we will make a final decision informed by the consultation process with our colleagues. We are not therefore in a position to comment on the potential for redundancy.

Child Support Agency: Complaints

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the average time taken by the Independent Case Examiner to process a complaint relating to the Child Support Agency.

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many peopled waited more than (a) six months, (b) nine months and (c) 12 months for the Independent Care Examiner to process their complaint about the Child Support Agency.

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will increase resources for the Independent Care Examiner to enable it to deal with Child Support Agency appeal cases in a timely manner.

Caroline Nokes: Once a complaint has been accepted for investigation, the ICE Office will consider whether a solution to the complaint can be brokered with the relevant department or its supplier and the complainant – known as “resolution”. If it is not possible to resolve the complaint, the case papers will be requested and the case will be allocated to an Investigation Case Manager. Following a review of the evidence, it may be possible for the Investigation Case Manager to “settle” the complaint if the relevant department or its supplier agrees to action that satisfies the complainant. If the complaint cannot be settled, the ICE will issue a report detailing findings and any recommendations for redress. In the 2016 calendar year the average time taken to process complaints relating to the Child Support Agency, from the point the complaint was accepted for investigation to case closure, was 53 weeks. Time taken to process Child Support Agency complaints during the 2016 calendar yearLess than six months49More than six months (but less than nine)11More than nine months (but less than 12)76More than 12 months265 Resources for the Independent Case Examiner’s Office are reviewed annually.

Jobcentres: Edinburgh

Deidre  Brock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when his Department plans to issue an Equality Impact Assessment on the proposal to close the Edinburgh city centre jobcentre on South St Andrew Street.

Damian Hinds: We will be undertaking an equality analysis as part of the detailed planning for service reconfiguration. This will include feedback from public consultation in those locations where this applies.

Jobcentres: Rotherham

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment has been made of the effect on the local economy of proposed relocation of jobs from Goldthorpe jobcentre.

Damian Hinds: We have carefully considered the wider impacts on local communities when developing our proposals for Goldthorpe Jobcentre. The economic impact of employment is dispersed beyond the specific location of a workplace and the staff currently based at Goldthorpe Jobcentre already live in a broader area around the site.While we expect all of these staff to move to Mexborough Jobcentre it is unlikely that a significant proportion will also move their place of residence. Or Proposals for Goldthorpe Jobcentre are under public consultation and we will carefully consider any further concerns raised around economic impact during the process.

Jobcentres: Rotherham

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether compulsory redundancies will result from the closure of Goldthorpe jobcentre.

Damian Hinds: We do not anticipate any compulsory redundancies as a result of merging staff and services from Goldthorpe into Mexborough Jobcentre.

Jobcentres: Rotherham

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the criteria used were for the selection of Goldthorpe jobcentre for proposed closure.

Damian Hinds: The Department has sought, where feasible, to merge sites in close proximity as part of its overall review of estate. Merging the staff and services from Goldthorpe into Mexborough Jobcentre optimises use of space, ensures value for money and enables effective delivery of services to the public.

Children: Maintenance

Angela Crawley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what powers of enforcement are available to the Child Maintenance Service if parents are on a direct-pay scheme and the paying parent refuses to meet their obligation to pay.

Caroline Nokes: When we are informed by a receiving parent that the paying parent has missed a payment whilst on direct pay, they can request to move on to the collect and pay service. We will make this change as soon as possible unless the paying parent produces evidence that the payment was made. Where the paying parent is employed we will immediately attempt to deduct from their earnings with a deduction from earnings order. We have at our disposal a wide range of enforcement powers including deducting from bank accounts, seizing property, removal of driving licences and commitment to prison. Arrears accrued on direct pay can be enforced using any of our enforcement powers.

Jobcentres: Rotherham

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants are served by Goldthorpe jobcentre; and how many of those claimants are (a) disabled and (b) women.

Damian Hinds: The claimant count for Goldthorpe is 450 of which 165 are female. This information is available from the following link: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5. Guidance for users is available at:https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/home/newuser.asp These are UC and JSA claimants served by Goldthorpe Jobcentre. We are unable to identify disabled claimants, or provide exact figures of ESA and IS claimants, however the purpose of the equality analysis is to help establish how many people are likely to be affected by the proposal.

Social Security Benefits: Disqualification

Dr Philippa Whitford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many benefit sanctions have been applied to (a) employment and support allowance claimants, (b) jobseeker's allowance claimants, (c) universal credit claimants with children in each parliamentary constituency in the last three years.

Damian Hinds: The information as requested is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. The available information on sanctions is available at: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk Guidance for users is available at: https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html

Chronic Illnesses: Work Capability Assessment

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many completed repeat assessments there have been of people with (a) Parkinson's disease, (b) multiple sclerosis, (c) motor neurone disease, (d) rheumatoid arthritis and (e) cystic fibrosis by year of repeat assessment, since the introduction of personal independence payments in 2013; and if he will make a statement.

Penny Mordaunt: The table below gives statistics on the number of planned award reviews conducted on recipients of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for a range of conditions. Award reviews ensure that claimants continue to receive the correct level of support, including increasing support where a long-term health condition or disability deteriorates and daily living or mobility needs increase. Table 1 – PIP award reviews Apr 2013 – Mar 2014Apr 2014 – Mar 2015Apr 2015 – Mar 2016Apr 2016 – Oct 2016Rheumatoid arthritis01001,2002,000Multiple sclerosis01008001,000Parkinson’s disease, Parkinson's syndrome and Parkinsonism0-300400Motor neurone disease0-100100Cystic fibrosis0--- Notes:‘-’ indicates fewer than 50 cases in the category.Data is based on primary disabling condition as recorded on the PIP and DLA computer system. Claimants may often have multiple disabling conditions upon which the decision is based but only the primary condition is shown in these statistics.Data has been rounded to the nearest 100.Data taken from the PIP computer system’s management information.Figures are for Great Britain only.

Jobcentres: Rotherham

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the expected costs are of the proposal to relocate staff and resources from Goldthorpe Jobcentre.

Damian Hinds: We are not yet in a position to share an estimated figure due to commercial confidentiality pending completion of legal processes and staff consultations. We expect to make savings for the tax payer from merging offices by reducing running costs and making best use of both office space available.

Social Security Benefits

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February 2017 to Question 62388, on social security benefits, what information his Department holds on the number of claimants who have applied for (a) jobseekers' allowance and (b) universal credit (i) by post and (ii) during a home visit.

Damian Hinds: The Department holds information on the number of claimants who have applied for Jobseeker’s Allowance and Universal Credit but the Department does not hold any Management Information on claims made by post or during a home visit.

State Retirement Pensions

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the pension status is of women who were widowed but later remarried; and how much state pension they are entitled to relative to the level of their late husband's national insurance contributions.

Damian Hinds: A widow’s entitlement to State Pension based on her late husband’s National Insurance contributions, and the amount she may receive if entitled, depends on a number of factors. These include whether she reached State Pension age under the old or new State Pension system (and if the former, how much State Pension she is entitled to in her own right); and when her late husband reached or would have reached State Pension age. If she has remarried prior to State Pension age, she will not be eligible for any State Pension based on her previous husband’s National Insurance contributions as she has ceased to be a widow by the time her entitlement to State Pension begins.

State Retirement Pensions

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what representations he has received on trends in the number of inaccurate state pension forecasts sent to people nearing retirement age; and whether he plans to take steps to assist those affected by errors in such forecasts.

Richard Harrington: State Pension statements explain that they represent an estimate and not a guarantee of an individual’s State Pension. Around 4.6% of customers contact DWP each month querying the amounts shown in their State Pension statement. These are investigated and if appropriate a revised statement is issued or can be viewed online.

Pension Credit

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether a widow who later remarries is eligible to claim pension credit to top up her income; and if he will make a statement.

Richard Harrington: Pension Credit is an income-related benefit for people who have reached the minimum qualifying age and live in Great Britain. It targets help at the poorest pensioners who have been unable to provide for their retirement. It works by topping up someone’s other income to a standard minimum level. The amount of Pension Credit a person gets depends on how much money they have coming in each week and how much capital they hold (e.g. savings and investments). Where someone has a partner, their claim will be treated as a couple and their income & capital will be added together when their entitlement is calculated. Therefore, where someone who has been widowed becomes a member of a couple, it is the income (which includes any State Pension) and capital of the couple that will be taken into account in the Pension Credit claim.

Home Office

UK Border Force

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding her Department has allocated to Border Force; and how many people have been employed by that agency in each year since 2012.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The table below outlines (i) the Border Force net resource budget from 2012/13 to 2016/17; and (ii) the total number of staff and the number of paid civil servants in post (full time equivalent) at the end of each financial year. 2012/132013/142014/152015/162016/17Total resource including depreciation (£m)617556523560558Comparative (excluding estates and IT) (£m)520509523560558Staff - total (FTE) 8,1238,0448,1537,646N/APaid Civil Servants (FTE)7,5537,6357,8147,337N/A Please Note: *The Comparative figures for 2012/13 and 2013/14 do not include IT and Estates budgets, which were included in previously released figures, and were taken back under central Home Office control after 2013/14.Data for staffing levels in 2016/17 will be available once the Financial year has completedData Source: Office for National Statistics compliant monthly snapshot corporate Human Resources data for Home Office.Period Covered: figures as at 31st March each yearOrganisational coverage: Figures include staff in Border Force.Definition of 'Staff- total (FTE)': Data is based on all Paid and Unpaid Civil Servants and Non Civil Servants (those substituting in civil servant roles such as Agency and contractor staff) who were current employees at 31st March each year The ‘Comparative’ figures in the table for 2012/13 and 2013/14 do not include IT and Estates budgets, which were included in previously released figures. The IT and Estates budgets were taken under central Home Office control after 2013/14.The security of our border is paramount and the UK maintains some of the toughest border controls in the world. Border Force continues to deliver against its Operating Mandates whilst capital investment is delivering technology at the border to improve security and strengthen control.

Vetting

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people made representations to the (a) Disclosure and Barring Service and (b) Independent Safeguarding Authority to remove their names from the (i) children's and (ii) adult's barred list in each year since 2009-10; and what proportion of those representations were (A) successful and (B) unsuccessful.

Sarah Newton: The table below shows the number of appeals relating to England, Wales and Northern Ireland that are upheld and result in the person being removed from one or more of the barred lists. This table also includes cases where an appellant has agreed to withdraw an appeal, following their removal from a list or lists by the Disclosure and Barring Service using its review powers. The data does not break down to allow comparison between the children’s and adults barred lists. Calendar YearsTotal number of appeals concluded by the Upper TribunalAppeals upheldAppeals not upheld  2015261214201623716  Data on appeals before 2015 is not available without incurring disproportionate costs.In addition to appeals, there are two other ways for people to make representations for removal from the barred lists. The Disclosure and Barring Service cannot provide data on late representations or barring reviews without incurring disproportionate cost.

Vetting

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many barred list checks were made for people in the controlled activity category in each year until that category was repealed by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012; and how many of those checks (a) found and (b) did not find matches with the barred list. in each of those years.

Sarah Newton: The number of applications for barred list checks in the controlled activity category is listed in the table below for each financial year. The category was repealed by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012.   Financial YearNumber of Applications SubmittedMatches found against the Barred Lists2010/11002011/124302012/13760

Members: Correspondence

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Harrow West of 23 November 2016 on family reunion applications for Kuwaiti Bidoons.

Mr Robert Goodwill: I am sorry for the delay in responding to your correspondence of 23 November. I replied to your letter on 31 January 2017.

Alcoholic Drinks: Licensing

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the Government will take steps to increase the powers of trading standards officers to allow them to withdraw alcohol licences for those caught selling illicit tobacco.

Sarah Newton: The Government has no plans to increase the powers of trading standards officers to allow them to withdraw alcohol licences for those caught selling illegal tobacco. Trading standards officers may ask the licensing authority to review a premises licence because of a matter arising at the premises in connection with any of the four licensing objectives, which include the prevention of crime. The licensing authority may revoke the licence where they consider this appropriate for the promotion of the licensing objectives.

Motorcycles: Road Traffic Offences

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many incidents involving off-road motorcycles have been recorded by police forces in (a) Liverpool, (b) Merseyside and (c) England.

Brandon Lewis: Individual forces in Liverpool, Merseyside and England record incidents involving off-road motorcycles. This Information is not held centrally.

G4S

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2017 to Question 58925, on G4S, whether her Department knew of plans to introduce body-worn cameras for welfare officers prior to that plan being implemented.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Home Office was informed that G4S were considering the use of body-worn cameras prior to their pilot and launch.

Asylum: Housing

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will hold a consultation on deciding the commissioning of asylum accommodation to regional strategic partnerships; and what steps she is taking to ensure that devolved governments have a role in deciding on arrangements for decentralising commissioning and ensuring a fair distribution of accommodation.

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Twelfth Report of the Home Affairs Committee, Asylum Accommodation, HC 637, what plans the Government has to include the number of asylum seekers in temporary accommodation in its future quarterly statistical releases.

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Twelfth Report of the Home Affairs Committee, Asylum Accommodation, HC 637, whether the Government plans to publish the outcome of its assessment of the equality impacts of the Compass contracts.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Government will consider the Twelfth Report of the Home Affairs Committee and respond due course.

Higher Education: Standards

Christina Rees: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of Question 58064, on overseas students, what definition her Department uses to define (a) top universities and (b) best students.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The immigration rules for study migration currently differentiate by types of institution. We will be shortly consulting on how we could differentiate further to support the sector.

Immigration Controls

Christina Rees: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the Government's policy is on (a) reducing the level of migration to the UK and (b) caps related to international student recruitment.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Government is committed to bringing down net migration to sustainable levels. There is no limit to the number of genuine international students who can come to study in the United Kingdom. There are no plans to change this.

Northern Ireland Office

Belfast Agreement: Equality

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what information his Department holds on whether the Republic of Ireland has introduced equal status legislation since 10 April 1998 as provided by paragraph 9 of the chapter on rights, safeguarding and equality of opportunity in the Belfast Agreement.

Kris Hopkins: I am not aware of any specific information held by my Department in relation to this matter. It is my understanding, however, that the Republic of Ireland gave further effect to provisions of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in domestic legislation through the European Convention of Human Rights Act 2003, and that since 1998 a number of pieces of legislation have been introduced in the Republic of Ireland including the Employment Equality Acts 1998 and 2004.

Northern Ireland Office: Security

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, which persons not employed by his Department hold security passes entitling them to enter his Department's premises.

Kris Hopkins: The Northern Ireland Office issues passes to persons not employed by the Department who have the relevant security clearance and are contracted to provide corporate or security services which require them to enter the premises. Additionally, the department supplies such passes to security cleared contractors to maintain on-site equipment.

National Anthems: Republic of Ireland

Conor McGinn: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what his Department's policy is on ministerial attendance at events at which the national anthem of Ireland is played.

James Brokenshire: The Northern Ireland Office does not have such a policy.

Department of Health

Medical Treatments

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to increase the capacity of NICE's appraisal processes for (a) muscle-wasting treatments and (b) treatments for other rare diseases.

Nicola Blackwood: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has the necessary capacity to develop technology appraisal guidance on all the technologies prioritised through its established topic selection processes, including drugs and treatments for muscle-wasting conditions and other rare diseases.

Mental Health Services

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to improve access to emotional and psychological support for people with (a) muscle-wasting conditions and (b) other rare diseases.

David Mowat: Patients and their families affected by rare diseases and muscle-wasting conditions often require emotional and psychological support. NHS England has committed to a number of national priorities to improve the support available including the Improved Access to Psychological Therapies programme and the Government’s choice commitment to end of life care. Teams within NHS England’s medical directorate are working with a wide range of stakeholders and patient representatives to embed person-centred care for all patients with long-term life limiting conditions.

Accident and Emergency Departments: Crimes of Violence

Craig Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps (a) he and (b) his Department are taking to promote and implement the accident and emergency-based Cardiff model for violence prevention in England.

Nicola Blackwood: The Information Sharing to Tackle Violence (ISTV) programme is a Department of Health-funded cross-government programme informed by the Cardiff Model and designed to reduce knife, gun and all other violent forms of crime. It is a key deliverable for the Government in addressing crime. Collecting data on serious violent incidents is a requirement on Type 1 accident and emergency (A&E) services. Non-confidential ISTV data is shared with local Community Safety Partnership (CSP) colleagues for use as a basis for crime prevention strategies. High quality information from hospitals can be used by CSPs to tackle all forms of violence through local interventions such as targeted policing or applying licensing restrictions to bars and clubs. The Department published “Information Sharing to Tackle Violence Guidance for Community Safety Partnerships on engaging with the NHS” (2012) which included practical tools and guidance for CSP partners. The Department secured funding for the Violence Reduction Nurse project which aims to implement the ISTV data standard consistently across hospitals in England. Since 2015 this has covered the costs of 12 Violence Reduction Nurses who alongside their other duties work to set up systems within their own A&E and to support up to 20 more hospitals in their region to adopt the information standard. Public Health England is supporting the standardisation of data collection, including injury data, in Emergency Departments through the Emergency Care Data Set.

Health Services

Andrea Jenkyns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funds were available to NHS England to finance the annual prioritisation process for specialised services in 2016.

David Mowat: NHS England set aside £25 million to fund new treatments approved as part of the annual prioritisation process for specialised services process for 2016-17.

Health Services

Andrea Jenkyns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funds NHS England will provide for the annual prioritisation process for specialised services in 2017.

David Mowat: NHS England has provisionally set aside £25 million to fund new treatments and interventions being considered as part of the 2017/18 annual prioritisation process.

Health Services

Andrea Jenkyns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many policies are being considered by NHS England's Commissioning department for the annual prioritisation process for specialised services.

David Mowat: The exact number of policy proposals going forward to the annual specialised commissioning prioritisation process in spring 2017/18 is yet to be finalised. However, it will include the three policy proposals that were not prioritised on grounds of affordability in the 2016/17 prioritisation round.

Health Services

Maggie Throup: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what mechanisms NHS England has in place to ensure that clinical commissioning groups are fulfilling their statutory responsibility to commission certain health services to meet the reasonable requirements of the persons for whom it has responsibility in (a) the prescribing of medical nutrition according to NICE Clinical Guidance 32 2006 and (b) commissioning other health services in line with section 13(2) of the Health and Social Care Act 2012.

David Mowat: NHS England has a statutory duty to carry out an annual performance assessment of each clinical commissioning group (CCG) and, in 2016/17, introduced the CCG Improvement and Assessment Framework. This framework is aligned to delivery of the Five Year Forward View and NHS Planning Guidance. The Framework brings together in one place NHS Constitution and other core performance and finance indicators, outcome goals and transformational challenges. CCGs are also assessed against a range of indicators that consider their delivery of commitments, improved health outcomes for their populations and whether they are well-led organisations. This provides assurance that CCGs are effective commissioning organisations. Where necessary, NHS England is supported by legislation in exercising formal powers of direction if it is satisfied that a CCG is failing or is at risk of failing to discharge its functions. It is a matter for CCGs to determine how best to commission services to meet the health needs of their local population, and they should have regard to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance in doing so.

Dental Services: Children

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much has been spent on child tooth extraction in hospitals in each year since 2010.

David Mowat: The following table shows the estimated cost of tooth extractions for patients aged 18 years and under from 2010/11 to 2015/16. The data covers all tooth extractions/removals, and does not distinguish between deciduous or adult teeth. The data source for the table is from reference costs, which are the average unit costs to National Health Service trusts and NHS foundation trusts of providing defined services in a given financial year to NHS patients. Reference costs for acute care are collected by healthcare resource group, which are standard groupings of clinically similar treatments which use common levels of healthcare resource.  Estimated total cost £ millionHealth Resource Group Description2010/112011/122012/132013/142014/152015/16Major Surgical Removal of Tooth, 18 years and under4.35.35.76.36.76.7Surgical Removal of Tooth, 18 years and under10.611.09.79.910.710.2Extraction of Multiple Teeth, 18 years and under21.923.727.431.435.435.6Minor Extraction of Tooth, 18 years and under2.72.93.12.93.13.3Source: Department of Health, Reference Costs

Department of Health: Cleaning Services

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the hourly pay-rate is for his Department's cleaning staff.

David Mowat: The hourly pay-rate for the Department’s cleaners is £8.45.

Miscarriage

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether (a) NHS England, (b) his Department and (c) other bodies for which his Department is responsible has issued guidance to hospitals on whether they must seek consent from women who have experienced a miscarriage before tissue from the miscarriage is sent for analysis.

David Mowat: The Human Tissue Act 2004 introduced a regulatory framework for the removal, storage and use of human tissue. Fetal tissue is regarded as the mother’s tissue and is consequently subject to the same consent requirements for analysis under the Act, as would apply to all other tissue taken for diagnostic or treatment purposes. The Human Tissue Authority (HTA) publishes codes of practice that provide guidance to professionals carrying out activities lying within the HTA’s remit, including ‘Code of Practice 1, Consent1 ’. This recommends that ‘whenever possible, the consent process for the examination of stillbirths and neonatal deaths involves the mother…’. Neither NHS England nor the Department has issued relevant guidance additional to that provided by through the HTA’s Codes of Practice. Note: 1 Code of Practice 1, Consent, published by the Human Tissue Authority (as updated) July 2014, available at:https://www.hta.gov.uk/guidance-professionals/codes-practice/code-practice-1-consent

Cerebral Palsy

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he plans to provide additional financial resources for cerebral palsy treatment research.

Nicola Blackwood: The Department's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including cerebral palsy. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality. The NIHR has supported research into cerebral palsy, for example research on sleep positioning for children with cerebral palsy, and research to support eating and drinking for individuals with cerebral palsy.  In September 2016 the Government announced the largest ever investment into health research infrastructure - £816 million over five years from April 2017 for 20 NIHR Biomedical Research Centres in England. We would expect some of this investment to support cerebral palsy research.

Eating Disorders

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to raise awareness of (a) eating disorders and (b) anorexia among middle-aged people.

Nicola Blackwood: Information on eating disorders and related support services is available on the NHS Choices website at the following link: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/eating-disorders/pages/introduction.aspx The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline ‘Eating disorders – recognition and treatment in the over 8s’ is currently being updated and is expected to be published in May 2017. Treatment for eating disorders would initially be provided by a patient’s general practitioner who would refer them to the relevant mental health service. The General Medical Council is responsible for setting the standards and outcomes for education and training and approving training curricular to ensure newly qualified doctors are equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to provide high quality patient care. This includes training on treating patients with eating disorders as required.

General Practitioners: Opening Hours

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to ensure that the well-being of GPs and their staff is safeguarded for those working in GP surgeries extending their opening hours.

David Mowat: Practices who work outside what might be considered normal working hours either as a pilot testing new access arrangements or by offering appointments under an extended hours scheme are responsible for ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of both themselves and the staff they employ. The guidance on the Extended Hours Direct Enhanced Service states that in developing arrangements for extending opening hours, commissioners and practices should consider how identified risks to safety and security of both practice staff and patients could be mitigated.

Dental Services: Expenditure

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was spent on emergency dentistry in hospitals in each year from 2010 to 2016.

David Mowat: Data is not held in the format requested.

Organs: Donors

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to encourage more people to become organ donors.

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make an assessment on whether current levels of organ donations meet the levels of demand for such donations.

Nicola Blackwood: Currently there are over 6,500 people on the United Kingdom national transplant waiting list. Most people are waiting for a kidney. The figure changes constantly as people join and leave the list. Each year around 5,000 people die in circumstances where their organs can be donated. Our aim is to maximise the number of people who can benefit from a transplant. A seven year UK-wide organ donation and transplantation strategy was jointly published by the four UK health ministers and NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) in July 2013. The strategy aims to increase consent rates, encourage people to be proud to donate and to make the UK system comparable with the best of the world. 2015/16 saw the highest ever deceased donor rate in the UK with 1,364 deceased donors resulting in 3,529 transplants. A further 3,779 patients had their sight restored through a cornea transplant and there were 1,075 living donors, most donating a kidney. NHSBT run regular awareness raising campaigns and introduced a new Organ Donation Register (ODR) system making it easier for people to record their wishes about donation. NHSBT works collaboratively with a number of partners in the private, public and third sectors to promote organ donation. People can add their name to the ODR via Government owned channels such as applying for a driving licence and paying car tax online. On 1 December 2015, Wales introduced deemed consent (opt-out) for organ and tissue donation. We will monitor closely how these changes in legislation in Wales affect donation rates.

Heart Diseases: Medical Equipment

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the new robotic silicone sleeve that can help damaged hearts pump will be made available on the NHS.

David Mowat: We are aware of recent research regarding a robotic silicone sleeve, however this research remains at a relatively early stage and larger scientific trials would be needed to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of such a device before it could be considered for routine National Health Service use.

Nurses: Pay

Steve Double: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will award nurses a pay rise of greater than one per cent of salary in the next available pay round.

Mr Philip Dunne: The Government makes its determinations on pay awards informed by recommendations from the independent NHS Pay Review Body. We look forward to receiving their report shortly.

Cancer: Health Services

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the criteria are for deciding which local bids will receive part of the additional £200 million funding announced by NHS England in December 2016 to improve local cancer services in England.

David Mowat: In December 2016 NHS England announced that a £200 million fund will be available to Cancer Alliances and the national cancer vanguard over the next two years to specifically support the areas the Cancer Taskforce’s strategy estimated would need additional investment, including supporting earlier diagnosis and the full roll out of the Recovery Package. NHS England received bids from all alliances on 18 January 2017. The bids have been assessed by a national panel on the basis of a pre-determined set of criteria, reflecting the value they offer and the panel’s confidence of delivery. The appraisal criteria is available at:https://www.england.nhs.uk/stps/tf-call-to-bid/

Paracetamol

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost was of prescribing paracetamol on the NHS in each of the last five years; and if he will make statement.

David Mowat: The net ingredient cost in the community of paracetamol items prescribed in the United Kingdom and dispensed in England in each of the last five years is provided in the following table. The cost reported is at a reimbursement price. This does not take account of the margin that pharmacies earn on the medicines they dispense. This margin is subsequently taken into account as contributing towards the target level of funding for community pharmacies as part of the community pharmacy contractual framework. Net Ingredient Cost of prescription items of paracetamol dispensed in England in the specified years within British National Formulary 4.7.1 non-opioid analgesics YearCost of paracetamol prescriptions (£ ‘000s)2011£61,270.12012£72,039.02013£81,565.22014£85,081.22015£87,619.0Source: Prescription Cost Analysis

Prisoners: Suicide

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many times an ambulance has been called to a prison for an inmate who has attempted suicide in each year since 2010.

Nicola Blackwood: Information about the frequency of emergency ambulance call-outs to prisons is not collected centrally by the Department or NHS England.

Prisoners: Mental Illness

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many prisoners have waited for more than 14 days for a transfer to hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983 in each month since April 2015.

Nicola Blackwood: Departmental guidance was published in 2011 on best practice to achieve urgent transfers within 14 days. NHS England continues to work with prison healthcare and secure mental health providers to improve processes so that this can be achieved. NHS England collects data at a national level from Health and Justice Indicators of Performance on prisoner 14 day transfers to hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her to Question 45018 on 8 September 2016 for NHS England’s data for the financial years (FY) 2015/16 and the first quarter of 2016/17. The latest data for the second quarter 2016/17 is presented in the table:Period= less than 14 daysmore than 14 daysQuarter2 FY 2016-1793182

Tobacco: Advertising

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will permit tobacco products that are proven to be less harmful to health than cigarettes to be advertised.

Nicola Blackwood: European Union rules prohibit the advertising of all tobacco products. Until the United Kingdom leaves the EU these rules remain binding.

Department of Health: Information Officers

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) of his Department's and (b) NHS England staff are employed in media relations and communications roles; and how much was spent on the salaries of those staff members in each of the last three years.

David Mowat: Details of communications staff numbers and spend on salaries for the Department’s staff are shown in the following table. On staff numbers, to ensure consistency, the Department has provided information according to the following criteria for public relations and communications staff: - Press and public relations;- Stakeholder relations;- Campaigns (including marketing and strategic communications);- Digital Communications (not IT/digital service teams); and- Internal Communications. On salary spend for communications staff in the Department, we have provided figures for Financial Years 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16: Department of HealthNumber of Communications Staff Full Time Equivalent (FTE)2Salary costs12013/1498£5,342,1732014/15106.5£5,617,9462015/16101£5,645,073 Notes: 1 Inclusive of all salary costs for permanent and non-permanent staff.2 Figures are for staff numbers at 31 March for each financial year. Details of NHS England’s communications staff numbers and spend on salaries is shown in the following table: NHS EnglandNumber of Communications Staff (FTE)Estimated on salary costs2013/1436£1,916,2432014/1543£2,158,7032015/1652£2,555,059 NHS England has advised that it can only provide estimated salary figures due to the way its accounts are structured. The figures are estimated from averages based on staff bandings.

Prisoners: Death

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether NHS England has met the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman to discuss avoidable deaths in custody since 9 January 2017.

Nicola Blackwood: NHS England meets quarterly with the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO). NHS England has not met the PPO to discuss avoidable deaths in custody since 9 January 2017.

NHS: Sustainable Development

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he plans to place the governance arrangements for sustainability and transformation plans on a statutory footing.

David Mowat: The Department currently has no plans to place Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs) on a statutory footing. STPs represent a coming together of commissioners, providers and local authorities to consider how to best plan care across their entire footprint and deliver the three aims set out in the Five Year Forward View. However, the statutory architecture for health and care remains fully in place, as do the existing accountabilities for Chief Executives and Accountable Officers of providers and clinical commissioning groups.

Health Professions: Training

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish information his Department holds from UCAS on the number of applications for undergraduate (a) nursing, (b) midwifery and (c) allied health degrees on 15 January 2017 in each of the last 10 years.

Mr Philip Dunne: Data on applicants to nursing, midwifery and allied health profession courses as of the January application deadline was published by UCAS on 2 February 2017 and covers the period between 2013 and 2017. The primary set of statistics covers all applications in the UCAS Undergraduate scheme within this category.https://www.ucas.com/corporate/data-and-analysis/ucas-undergraduate-releases/2017-cycle-applicant-figures-%E2%80%93-january-deadline Data prior to this is not held by the Department and may be available from UCAS. For the January 2017 release, UCAS, for the first time also published a new subset of the sector-level reports for applicants to nursing courses (within subject group ‘B7’). These reports include applicants who have made at least one choice to a ‘B7’ nursing course but does not include a breakdown of Allied Health Professions data. Students can still apply to study courses up until the middle of September.

Healthy Start Scheme

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 31 January 2017 to Question 61891, on the Healthy Start Scheme, how many people have received support through that scheme since 2010.

Nicola Blackwood: Information is not held in the format requested, and such information as is available could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Maternity Services

Will Quince: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that every hospital that has a maternity unit has a bereavement suite.

Mr Philip Dunne: All bereaved parents should be offered the same high standard of care and support in an appropriate environment. I am pleased that, thanks in part to this Government’s investment of £35million, nine out of ten maternity units have dedicated bereavement rooms. Next month I am hosting a roundtable with charities and colleagues to discuss these important issues in greater detail.

NHS: Staff

Steven Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure safe staffing levels in the NHS.

Mr Philip Dunne: Staffing in our health service is a priority for this Government. That's why we have invested in the frontline. There are around 11,800 more full time equivalent hospital and community doctors since May 2010, and 13,300 more full time equivalent nurses than in May 2010. With almost 52,000 doctors and 51,000 nurses in training, we will continue to make sure we have the staff available to give patients high quality care 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Lung Diseases: Accident and Emergency Departments

Mrs Flick Drummond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken to reduce the number of patients with lung disease admitted to accident and emergency departments.

David Mowat: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance on conditions such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and asthma emphasise the importance of avoiding emergency admissions for patients with lung diseases. The introduction of an Enhanced Service for general practitioners in 2015-16, continuing in 2016-17, is designed to help reduce avoidable unplanned admissions by improving services for vulnerable patients and those with complex health needs, who are at high risk of admission.

NHS: Billing

Steve Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that NHS bodies make timely payments to small business providers.

Mr Philip Dunne: Central Government policy is to pay 80% of undisputed invoices within five days, and the rest within 30 days. The Department of Health publishes quarterly data showing its own performance against this target. For the last quarter available, the Department paid 98.4% within five days and 99.9% within 30 days. National Health Service bodies are required to disclose performance against the 30 day Better Payment Practice Code in their accounts.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Cleaning Services

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the hourly pay-rate is for his Department's cleaning staff.

Margot James: On average the hourly rate for a cleaning operative is £8.04.

Environment Protection

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much government funding has been invested in the Capital Markets Climate Initiative since the launch of that initiative.

Mr Nick Hurd: To date, we have invested £2.57million in the Capital Markets Climate Initiative. This was set up to help us understand the barriers to investment in renewable energy projects in developing countries and facilitate the quick transition of such projects from talk to action, with a particular focus on unlocking flows of private finance. The CMCI programme includes the Global Innovation Lab (the ‘Lab’), which has been endorsed by the Leaders of G7 countries. The Lab has so far catalysed $600million of investments through the instruments it has developed.

Green Investment Bank

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the contribution of the Minister for Climate Change and Industry of 11 January 2017, Official Report, column 320, what assessment he has made of the nature of the market failure that the Green Investment Bank was set up to rectify; and if he will publish that assessment.

Mr Nick Hurd: The Government set out the rationale for moving the Green Investment Bank (GIB) to the private sector in its policy statement “Future of UK Green Investment Bank plc” published on 18 November 2015, including the Government’s assessment of the role GIB has played in unlocking private investment in the green economy. The strong market interest in acquiring a stake in GIB since the sale process was launched on 3 March 2016 further demonstrates the positive impact GIB has had in the market.

Green Investment Bank

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 15 December 2016 to Question 57076, on the Green Investment Bank, how much of the £4.7 billion investment will be directed to low carbon innovation projects.

Mr Nick Hurd: ‘Building our Industrial Strategy’ published on 23 January, starts a consultation on how to invest this £4.7 billion worth of funding. It also consults on the technologies which the new Industrial Challenge Fund could support, which include smart and clean energy technologies.This builds on earlier consultation by Innovate UK and the Research Councils on potential challenge areas for the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, initiated on 16 January. The Green Paper will help to further refine these choices, followed by further consultation by UK Research and Innovation when it come into being, subject to Parliamentary approval.

Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment the Government has made of the effectiveness of the work of the Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance in driving investment in developing countries.

Mr Nick Hurd: The Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance (“the Lab”) is regularly assessed as part of standard programme evaluation. It has performed well and scored an “A” in the last Annual Review (which is publicly available). The Lab has so far catalysed $600million of investment in mitigation and adaptation instruments to climate change in developing countries.Link to last Annual Review: https://aidstream.org/files/documents/CMCI-Annual-Review-Aug14-Jul16-20160823090802.pdf

Green Investment Bank

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many staff (a) were employed by and (b) left the UK Green Investment Bank in each year since its creation; and how many staff have left that bank in 2017 to date.

Mr Nick Hurd: The Green Investment Bank (GIB) has provided the following information:Number of staff employed as at 31 March each year since the creation of GIB*31st March 2013 – 5831st March 2014 – 9231st March 2015 - 11331st March 2016 – 13431st January 2017 - 126 Number of employees exiting GIB as at 31 March each year since the creation of GIB**  31st March 2013 – 331st March 2014 - 1031st March 2015 – 1431st March 2016 – 1331st January 2017 – 14 Of the 14 employees who have left in this current financial year, two left in the period from 1 January 2017 to date. *Headcount numbers reported as per the People section of GIB’s latest annual report. **The leavers noted are those individuals who were permanent employees and fixed term contract employees who decided leave ahead of the agreed end date noted in their contract. It does not include temporary staff or those individuals who completed a fixed term contract and left on the agreed end date as detailed within their contract.

ACAS

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much funding has been paid to ACAS; and how many full-time equivalent staff were employed by that organisation in (a) 2015-16 and (b) 2016-17 to date.

Margot James: The number of Acas fulltime equivalent staff and payments to them for 2015/16 and 2016/17 are set out in the table below: YearNo of staff FTE (average)Amount2015/16783£45,050,0002016/17 (to end February)759£39,350,000

Ministry of Defence

Yemen: Military Intervention

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many allegations of humanitarian law violations by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen his Department is tracking; and if he will place in the Library the reports relating to each such allegation.

Sir Michael Fallon: The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Yemen: Military Intervention

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 5 July 2016 to Question 41410, when his Department last carried out an assessment of (a) whether the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen were targeting civilians and (b) that coalition's level of respect for and compliance with international humanitarian law; and if he will place in the Library copies of documentation used in such assessments.

Sir Michael Fallon: The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Military Police

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service police there were in (a) each branch of the armed forces and (b) the Special Investigations Branch in each year since 2010.

Mark Lancaster: The number of Service Police in each branch of the Armed Forces and the Special Investigations Branch in each year since 2010 is shown in the attached tables.



62370 - Service Police and SIB in the Armed Forces
(Word Document, 24.63 KB)

Defence: Expenditure

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent each year on (a) A400M Atlas, (b) Ajax, (c) Astute boats 1-3, (d) Astute boats 4-7, (e) Complex Weapons Pipeline (Brimstone 2), (f) Complex Weapons Pipeline (Sea Ceptor), (g) Complex Weapons Pipeline (Land Ceptor), (h) Complex Weapons Pipleline (FASGW Heavy), (i) Complex Weapons Pipeline (FASGW Light), (j) Complex Weapons Pipeline (SRAAAM Sustainment), (k) Core Production Capability, (l) Lightning II, (m) MARS Tanker, (n) Queen Elizabeth-class Aircraft Carriers, (o) Type 26 Global Combat Ship, (p) Typhoon (Fighter aircraft), (q) Typhoon (Future Capability Programme 1), (r) Typhoon (Meteor Integration), (s) Typhoon (Storm Shadow Integration), (t) Typhoon (Brimstone 2 Integration) and (u) Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme; and if he will make a statement.

Harriett Baldwin: Expenditure for the Demonstration and Manufacture phases for each of the listed projects is detailed in the attached table. The information includes expenditure incurred since 2007-08 up until 2015-16. Spend data for the current financial year (FY) is excluded as this is incomplete.Costs prior to 2007-08 are not broken down by FY.



62350 - Projects for Demonstration and Manufacture
(Word Document, 22.66 KB)

Armed Forces: Housing

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure that members of the armed forces and their families are not accommodated in hotels.

Mark Lancaster: The Department provides entitled service personnel and their families with single living accommodation or service family accommodation (SFA) either at, or close to their normal duty station. There are near 50,000 SFA properties which are used for the needs of the armed forces.The Department also recognises the evolving housing needs of service personnel. Work to progress the Future Accommodation Model is under way to provide a more flexible accommodation offering which remains attractive to service personnel and affordable to Defence in the future.Hotels are only ever used in exceptional circumstances to temporarily house service personnel and their families and this exceptional use is reducing.

HMS Queen Elizabeth

Mrs Flick Drummond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, during which month he expects HMS Queen Elizabeth to depart Rosyth for her first sea trials.

Mrs Flick Drummond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 2.9 of the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 - First Annual Report 2016, published in December 2016, and his oral evidence to the Defence Select Committee of 31 January 2017, for what reason the expected start date of sea trials by HMS Queen Elizabeth has changed.

Harriett Baldwin: HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH is currently undertaking harbour trials as part of her test and integration phase. This phase will demonstrate the readiness for sea of the ship's on board systems and address any technical issues, which are expected in a programme of this scale and complexity. Sea trials will begin to emerge on successful completion of this phase followed by her acceptance into service with the Royal Navy later in the year, as planned. It is too early at this stage to be specific about dates, which are also dependent on tides and weather conditions.

Armed Forces: Females

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what mechanisms are in place to support (a) female service personnel and (b) female veterans with mental wellbeing (i) during and (ii) after military service.

Mark Lancaster: The Government recognises that Service life can cause stress. We take the mental health of the Armed Forces, both female and male, very seriously and provide a wide range of support and treatments for those who need them. This includes pre and post-operational stress management training, a wide range of psychiatric and psychological treatments, and initiatives such as Trauma Risk Management. We are also working hard to reduce stigma attached to mental health issues and to encourage Service personnel to come forward. The provision of veterans’ healthcare including mental healthcare, for both female and male veterans, is primarily the responsibility of the NHS in England and the Devolved Administrations who work in close partnership with the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and Service charities to ensure that veterans get the best possible care. The MOD also has a part to play and is determined to ensure that all veterans who require help are provided with appropriate support, including through the Veterans UK helpline and website; Veterans Welfare Service and the Veterans Information Service which contacts veterans 12 months after their discharge. Later this year the Veterans Gateway, provided by a consortium of charities led by the Royal British Legion, will be launched providing a one-stop service to better support the veterans’ community and help in accessing public, private and charitable services in the UK.

Air Force

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the establishment is of the HQ Royal Air Force by rank and responsibility.

Mike Penning: The information requested, as at 30 January 2017, is contained in the attached table.This data includes all permanent RAF Regular and Reserve Service (excluding Part Time Volunteer Reserve) positions at Headquarters Air Command but does not include any lodger units that do not fall within the Headquarters Air Command structure but may be located within the Air Command Headquarters.



62405 - RAF Rank and Responsibility
(Excel SpreadSheet, 23.89 KB)

Navy

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the establishment is of the HQ Royal Navy by rank and responsibility.

Mike Penning: The information that you have requested, as at 1 January 2017, is contained in the attached table.This data includes all permanent Royal Navy Regular and Reserve Service (excluding Part Time Volunteer Reserve) positions at Navy Command Headquarters (Leach Building and West Battery). The table does not include any lodger units that are located within Navy Command Headquarters.



62406 - Royal Navy by rank and responsibility
(Excel SpreadSheet, 12.36 KB)

Defence Suppliers Forum

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the Defence Suppliers SME Forum (a) last met and (b) will next meet.

Harriett Baldwin: The Defence Suppliers Forum SME last met on 27 October 2016 in North Wales and will next meet on 28 February 2017 in London.

NATO

Danny Kinahan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential diminishment of US commitment to NATO after President Trump's reorganisation of the US National Security Council.

Mike Penning: During a recent call with Secretary of State for Defence, US Defense Secretary Mattis emphasised the United States' continued firm commitment to NATO.This was reiterated during the Prime Minister's visit to the US, where President Trump stated that he is '100 per cent behind' NATO.

Trident Missiles: Testing

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether (a) Lockheed Martin and (b) Draper Engineering have identified the fault to the Trident D5 missile that was test fired in June 2016.

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether there is a cost to the public purse if a Trident D5 missile is defective during a test launch; and whether the defective missile is replaced at the manufacturers expense.

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the UK's other Trident missiles have been checked for faults after the failed Trident II D5 missile test in June 2016.

Sir Michael Fallon: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for North Durham (Kevan Jones) on 23 January 2017 (Official Report, column 23).



Trident: Test Firing
(Word Document, 33.68 KB)

EU Defence Policy

Robert Courts: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has for ensuring close co-operation with EU countries on defence policy after the UK has left the EU.

Mike Penning: The nature of our future relationship with the EU on foreign, security, and Defence issues remains under consideration. We are, however, clear that we will continue to have a leading role in European and wider global security, and wish to continue to cooperate with European partners to tackle shared challenges.

Military Bases: Closures

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether equality impact assessments have been carried out on the proposed closure of his Department's sites (a) in Scotland and (b) elsewhere in the UK.

Mark Lancaster: Equality impact assessments are carried out as part of the Ministry of Defence's standard disposal process to ensure suitable and appropriate reprovisions are made when sites are closed. Accordingly, equality impact assessments will be undertaken for all sites identified for disposal as part of the "A Better Defence Estate" announcement on 7 November 2016, aligned to the closure dates for each site. As these assessments take place later in the disposal process, none have been completed to date.

Ministry of Defence: Redundancy

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether there will be compulsory redundancies as a result of his Department's site closures.

Mark Lancaster: Creating a rationalised Defence estate, focused around clusters which better support and enhance military capability, will require relocation of functions.Where an individual's post is being relocated outside the scope of their personal mobility obligation, they will be managed in accordance with normal Departmental policy and processes. Formal Trades Union consultation will occur well in advance of any closure.

Ministry of Defence: Senior Civil Servants

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) ethnicity, (b) gender, (c) disability status, (d) educational background and (e) socio-economic status is of the three most senior officials of his Department.

Mark Lancaster: Details of Ministry of Defence Ministers and Senior Officials are published at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence

Invicta Park Barracks

Mrs Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with (a) Kent County Council and (b) Maidstone Borough Council on the proposed closure of Invicta Park Barracks.

Mark Lancaster: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is due to dispose of Invicta Park Barracks in 2027. The MOD has held initial discussions with both Kent County Council and Maidstone Borough Council to inform them of our plans, and we will continue to engage with them as our plans to dispose of the site mature.

Invicta Park Barracks

Mrs Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether an Equality Impact Assessment will be published on the proposal to close Invicta Park Barracks.

Mark Lancaster: "A Better Defence Estate" is a military-led review.The Department's intent to close Invicta Barracks in 2027 forms part of a strategy to optimise the defence estate to better support our Armed Forces.Equality impact assessments are carried out to ensure suitable and appropriate reprovisions are made when sites are actually closed. Therefore, the equality impact assessment will not be undertaken until much later in the disposals process.

Invicta Park Barracks

Mrs Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish his Department's cost-benefit analysis on the sale of the Invicta Park Barracks site prior to that site's selection for closure as part of his Department's Better defence estate strategy.

Mark Lancaster: "A Better Defence Estate" is a military-led review.The planned disposal date for Invicta Park Barracks is 2027. Following the sale of the site, the value of any receipt will be published as part of the Ministry of Defence's (MOD) annual accounts.The MOD cannot publish the cost-benefit analysis on the sale of the Invicta Park Barracks, as to release the information would prejudice the Department's commercial interests. All decisions to dispose of sites were subject to analysis, to ensure they provided the best value for money.

Invicta Park Barracks

Mrs Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what safety assessment his Department has carried out on the Invicta Park Barracks site to determine whether the land is suitable for house building; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Lancaster: The Department's intention to close Invicta Barracks in 2027 forms part of a strategy to optimise the Defence estate to better support our Armed Forces. The relevant safety assessments will be carried out at Invicta Park Barracks as part of the Department's standard disposals process. The closure of the site may also contribute to future Government housing targets. Any future uses of the site will be determined by the local authority and the future owner.

Armed Forces: Deployment

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) Royal Navy, (b) Army and (c) Royal Air Force personnel have been deployed overseas on UN, EU and NATO operations and missions in each of the last five years; and how many such personnel are currently deployed on such operations and missions.

Mike Penning: The information is not held in the format requested. As of 30 January 2017, Service personnel were deployed in support of UN, EU and NATO operations in the following numbers: Organisation / ServiceRoyal Navy / Royal MarinesArmyRoyal Air ForceUN33693EU74121NATO33734088

Armed Forces: Deployment

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) Royal Navy, (b) Army and (c) Royal Air Force personnel have been deployed overseas on UN, EU and NATO operations and missions on tours exceeding a duration of (i) three, (ii) six and (iii) nine months in each of the last five years.

Mike Penning: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Navy: Deployment

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Royal Navy personnel have been deployed aboard warships for a  duration exceeding (a) three, (b) six and (c) nine months in each of the last five years.

Mark Lancaster: Royal Navy (RN) ships' and submarines' complements are not fixed and vary depending on the nature of the deployment. All RN warships deploy with the personnel required to meet their operational tasking.Identifying the personnel assigned aboard deployed warships for the periods requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Army: Recruitment

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 1 February 2017 to Question 61395, what the shortfall was for the recruitment of soldiers and officers in (a) The Rifles, (b) Royal Gurkha Rifles, (c) Parachute Regiment, (d) Royal Irish Regiment, (e) Royal Welsh, (f) Mercian Regiment, (g) Yorkshire Regiment, (h) Royal Anglian Regiment, (i) Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, (j) Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, (k) Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment, (l) Royal Regiment of Scotland, (m) Welsh Guards, (n) Irish Guards, (o) Scots Guards, (p) Coldstream Guards, (q) Grenadier Guards and (r) Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in each financial year between 2011-12 and 2015-16.

Mike Penning: The table below provides in-take to untrained strength for the years requested. Departmental targets are not set down to this level. Untrained Soldier Intake by Capbadge  2011-12 Actual2012-13 Actual2013-14 Actual2014-15 Actual2015-16 ActualRifles600660410360500Brigade of Gurkhas180130130230240Parachute Regiment410500300360310Royal Irish Regiment11090408060Royal Welsh Regiment270190407070Mercian Regiment430310100180160Yorkshire Regiment360300120160170Royal Anglian Regiment280170110160160Royal Regiment of Fusiliers240140408080Duke of Lancaster Regiment340180120140160Princess of Wales Royal Regiment180160100160140Royal Regiment of Scotland620450160270210Welsh Guards16070206050Irish Guards701004011060Scots Guards140110407040Goldstream Guards1401606012080Grenadier Guards13012080130100RMAS (Untrained Officers)640560510470520Notes/Caveats: The figures are for Regular Army and Gurkhas and therefore exclude the reserve services. Intake to untrained strength is those who commence Phase 1 training. Targets are set internally and are subject to constant change and review. Successful applicants are not counted against the intake until they start Phase 1 training. RMAS figures include only those in the “main” intake, therefore exclude Professionally Qualified Officers (PQO’s). Intake to untrained Royal Gurkhas Rifles includes all those into the capbadge of the Brigade of Gurkhas – they are then assigned to appropriate trade following basic infantry training. Figures have been rounded to 10. Figures ending in “5” have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to limit systematic bias.

Armed Forces: Deployment

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the locations are of UN, EU and NATO operations and missions that personnel from each of the UK armed forces are deployed to.

Mike Penning: Armed forces personnel are currently supporting NATO operations in:Afghanistan - Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air ForceBosnia - Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air ForceEstonia - ArmyKosovo - ArmyArmed forces personnel are currently supporting UN operations in:Colombia - ArmyCyprus - ArmyThe Democratic Republic of Congo -Royal Navy, ArmyItaly - ArmyMali - ArmyTunisia - Army, Royal Air ForceSomalia - Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air ForceSouth Sudan - Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air ForceArmed forces personnel are currently supporting EU operations in:The Central Mediterranean - Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air ForceBahrain - Royal NavyDjibouti - Royal NavyMali -ArmyThe Seychelles - Royal NavySomalia - Royal Navy

Department for Communities and Local Government

Communities and Local Government: Cleaning Services

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the hourly pay-rate is for his Department's cleaning staff.

Mr Marcus Jones: Cleaning services in buildings managed by the Department for Communities and Local Government are outsourced under a facilities management contract. Suppliers are responsible for setting rates of pay for their staff and rates for cleaners vary dependent on location and market rates. They have informed the department that they currently pay, as a minimum, the National Living Wage for cleaning the department's buildings.

National Identity

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what progress has been made on his proposals to introduce a British Values Oath.

Mr Marcus Jones: My Rt Hon Friend, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has made clear he will be studying Dame Louise Casey’s Review of integration and opportunity closely.As part of those considerations, we will consider carefully Dame Louise’s recommendation that British values be included in a new oath for those in public office. The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, published an editorial in the Sunday Times (18th December), in which he noted that he was ‘particularly drawn’ to this recommendation.The Government will bring forward a new Integration Strategy in the Spring.

Combined Authorities: Equality

Mrs Flick Drummond: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department has issued to local authorities on engaging with groups with particular protected characteristics covered by the Public Sector Equality Duty when drawing up proposals for a combined authority.

Andrew Percy: My Department has not issued any such guidance. It is each local authority's own responsibility to ensure it fulfils its obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty when making a proposal for a combined authority.

Combined Authorities

Mrs Flick Drummond: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department has issued to local authorities on their engagement with local communities when drawing up proposals for a combined authority.

Andrew Percy: My Department has not issued any such guidance. Statute requires that there must be a public consultation - either by the local authorities themselves or the Secretary of State - on any proposal to establish a combined authority, and before proceeding with an order to implement such a proposal, the Secretary of State must be satisfied that no further consultation is necessary.

Local Government: Labour Turnover

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the wastage rate of local government employees in each job role over the last 10 years.

Mr Marcus Jones: This information is not collected centrally.Local authorities are best placed to assess, deliver and take decisions on efficiencies within their own organisations.

HM Treasury

Treasury: Brexit

Ms Gisela Stuart: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will place in the Library a list of public consultations, White Papers and other documents his Department plans to publish to assist the UK in making effective the Government's plans for the UK to leave the EU within the two year timetable from the triggering of Article 50.

Mr David Gauke: The Treasury does not currently have plans to publish additional documents for this purpose. ‎The Treasury will notify Parliament of any documents it does bring forward in the normal ways. We continue to make progress in preparing for the UK’s exit from the EU and ensuring we get the best deal for the UK.

Treasury: Cleaning Services

Tim Farron: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the hourly pay-rate is for his Department's cleaning staff.

Simon Kirby: The cleaning service at HM Treasury is provided through a service contract, let by the landlord for 1 Horse Guards Road (Exchequer Partnership). HM Treasury does not directly employ cleaners.

Libya: Freezing of Assets

Jim Shannon: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the total amount of Gaddafi family assets frozen in the UK.

Simon Kirby: Following action at the United Nations, Council Regulation (EU) No 204/2011 of 2 March 2011 imposed an asset freeze against listed individuals and entities in view of the situation in Libya. Council Regulation (EU) No 204/2011 has since been repealed and replaced by Council Regulation (EU) 2016/44 with effect from 20 January 2016. The EU regulation, which has direct effect in the UK, requires that all assets owned or controlled by listed persons are frozen. The approximate aggregate value of funds frozen in the UK (under EU Regulation 204/2011) was £ 9,467,630,000 at the close of business on 30 September 2015. The figures for the 2016 round of UK frozen funds reporting are in the process of being finalised and as such are not currently available. The frozen funds continue to belong to the individuals and entities listed under the Regulation and are not seized or otherwise held by HM Government. The figure is provided on an aggregate basis so as not to indirectly disclose the value of funds held by particular individuals or entities.

Inflation

Ian Blackford: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of increased inflation on low-income households.

Simon Kirby: The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) expect inflation to increase to 2.5 per cent by the end of 2017 and peak at 2.6 per cent in Q2 2018. Their forecast was reflected in the distributional analysis published alongside Autumn Statement 2016. The government is taking steps to support low-income households, including raising the National Living Wage, raising the personal allowance, freezing fuel duty, and providing more affordable homes.

Government Departments: Procurement

Caroline Lucas: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to publish the next edition of The Green Book: Appraisal and Evaluation in Central Government.

Mr David Gauke: The Treasury intends to publish a refreshed edition of the Green Book later this year.

Debts

Royston Smith: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 12 October 2016 to Question 47155, what progress has been made on (a) funding and (b) bringing forward legislative proposals on a breathing space mechanism for families in debt.

Simon Kirby: The government committed to exploring whether some form of “breathing space” would be a useful and viable addition to the current range debt solutions available to consumers and creditors. Work is continuing on this review and government plans to report back shortly.

Redundancy Pay

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the consultation on Simplification of the Tax and National Insurance treatment of termination payments: government response and consultation on draft legislation, which closed for comments on 5 October 2016, what assessment he has made of the responses to that consultation; what changes he plans to make to the tax and national insurance treatment of redundancy payments in lieu of notice; and whether he still plans to introduce those changes in April 2018.

Jane Ellison: The Government listened to stakeholder feedback on the consultation and published revised draft legislation in the provisions for Finance Bill 2017 on 5 December 2016. As announced at Autumn Statement 2016, all contractual and non-contractual payments in lieu of notice will be taxable as earnings. Tax will be applied to the equivalent of an employee’s basic pay if their notice is not worked. The first £30,000 of a termination payment will remain exempt from Income Tax and National Insurance. The changes will take effect from 6 April 2018.

Alcoholic Drinks: Industry

Tim Loughton: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment his Department has made of the value of the UK wine and spirits industry to the economy.

Tim Loughton: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, by how much rates of duty for (a) wine and (b) spirits have risen in percentage terms since 2007.

Tim Loughton: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of a two per cent reduction in duty on UK wine and spirits to the economy.

Tim Loughton: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what tax liabilities would result from a 3.2 per cent increase in duty on UK wine and spirits for (a) UK consumers and (b) businesses.

Jane Ellison: The Government has made no independent assessment of the contribution of wine and spirits to the UK economy. However, HM Treasury engages with a wide variety of organisations, including the Wine and Spirits Trade Association, to understand developments in the wine and spirits markets. Current and historic duty rates for wine and spirits can be found in HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC’s) published Alcohol Bulletin. This is available to view at: https://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/Pages/TaxAndDutybulletins.aspx. The Government keeps all taxes, including wine and spirits duties, under review. Evidence from stakeholders on the impact of potential changes will be considered as part of the Budget process. An indication of the fiscal effect of a one per cent increase in duty in 2017-18 on all alcoholic drinks is set out in the HMRC publication, Direct effects of illustrative tax changes. This is available to view at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/571367/Nov16_Direct_effects_illustrative_tax_changes_bulletin_final.pdf. For small changes in duty, the one per cent ‘ready reckoner’ can be scaled up or down to derive a rough estimate of larger changes. The legal incidence of the duty is on producers, but increased duties are passed through as higher retail prices. Higher duties are thus estimated to reduce alcohol consumption.

Gaming Machines

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on the potential effect on tax receipts of proposals that are being considered under the Triennial Review of gaming machine stakes and prizes.

Jane Ellison: The Chancellor meets regularly with Cabinet colleagues for discussions on a wide range of issues. Gambling regulation is a matter for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Gambling Commission. DCMS will publish an impact assessment on any changes proposed as a result of the Triennial Review.

Department for International Trade

Department for International Trade: USA

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will estimate how many of his Department's staff will be affected by recent changes to immigration rules introduced by President Trump.

Greg Hands: All Government Departments are bound by legal requirements concerning the right to work in the UK and, in addition, the Civil Service Nationality Rules. Evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the Civil Service as part of wider pre-employment checks, but there is no requirement on departments to retain this information beyond the point at which it has served its purpose.

Department for International Trade: Cleaning Services

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what the hourly pay-rate is for his Department's cleaning staff.

Greg Hands: The Department for International Trade is currently a tenant in other buildings that belong to several other government departments. We do not therefore directly employ cleaners, as the contract is all managed by the property management company for the main landlord.

UK Export Finance

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether it is the policy of UK Export Finance (UKEF) to take against a company if it discovers that a company it has insured has breached its anti-corruption warranty in cases where there has been no loss to UKEF.

Greg Hands: UKEF’s policy is that at the time it makes its support available, it takes recourse rights against exporters, which can be invoked, where bribery or corruption is subsequently admitted by the exporter, or found by a court. After UKEF has provided support for a transaction, if it comes to its attention that bribery or corruption has been admitted or found by a court in relation to that transaction, its policy is to invoke this recourse where it has incurred any loss or expense. Where UKEF has issued an insurance policy, UKEF may cancel the cover where bribery or corruption is admitted or found by a court.

UK Export Finance

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, on how many occasions since 2005 UK Export Finance has cancelled a policy with an insured company on grounds of admission of or conviction for corrupt activity.

Greg Hands: UK Export Finance provides insurance to exporting companies through its insurance products. Since 2005, UKEF has not had cause to cancel any of these insurance policies.

Rolls-Royce

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, on how many occasions UK Export Finance has provided a payment to Rolls Royce under export finance policies since 2000; and what the amounts were of each such payment made; and in relation to which (a) project and (b) country each such payment was made.

Greg Hands: UK Export Finance has made no payments to Rolls Royce in respect of export insurance policies issued since 2000. Nor has it made payments to financing parties of Rolls Royce export contracts, in respect of guarantees issued since 2000.

Trade Agreements: Australia

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assistance has been (a) offered and (b) requested from his counterparts in Australia on the negotiation of trade agreements relating to the UK leaving the EU.

Greg Hands: The UK has held several discussions with Australia to share best practice on developing possible future trade agreements. This will continue to form part of discussions in the UK-Australia Trade Working Group, alongside scoping of a future UK-Australia free trade agreement and wider trade issues.

World Trade Organisation

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether all WTO rules and practices pertaining to the UK will continue to do so in the event that the UK leaves the EU.

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment the Government has made of which WTO rules and practices pertain to the UK (a) in the UK's own right and (b) through the UK's membership of the EU.

Greg Hands: The United Kingdom is a founding member of the World Trade Organization (WTO). As such, the UK is bound by the rights and obligations that apply to all WTO Members. That will continue unchanged as we leave the EU. There are a number of WTO plurilateral agreements where obligations only apply to a subset of the WTO Membership. We will consider membership of those agreements on a case by case basis. We will do so in line with our overall ambition to replicate as far as possible our current obligations and to minimise disruption to global trade.

UK Export Finance

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many times UK Export Finance has used its special audit rights to seek further information from companies about their agents and commission in the last five years.

Greg Hands: UK Export Finance (UKEF) routinely seeks information from exporters about agents and commissions as part of its anti-bribery due diligence and may seek further information from the applicant as part of this process. Separately, UKEF has audit rights that are exercisable in respect of issued guarantees and insurance policies. The audit rights do not exclusively relate to details of agents and their commission.Since 2011, 24 audits have been carried out on companies following the receipt of applications for support.

Cyril Sweett

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what export credit support his Department or its predecessor has provided to Cyril Sweett or related companies since 2000.

Greg Hands: Since 2000, UK Export Finance has not provided support to Cyril Sweett or its known subsidiaries.

UK Export Finance

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, which companies that have requested special handling arrangements when providing UK Export Finance with information about their agents and commission payments.

Greg Hands: Information on the identities of the companies that requested special handling arrangements from UK Export Finance is commercially sensitive.

UK Export Finance

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, in how many instances since 2000 UK Export Finance has provided support to a company which was using Unaoil as an agent.

Greg Hands: The details of agents declared by applicants is not held centrally. A search of every application received since the year 2000 would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold.

Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, by whom the decision was made to have a European Committee debate on the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement on 6 February 2017 rather than a debate on the floor of the House; when that decision was made; for what reason that decision was made; and if he will make a statement.

Greg Hands: My Rt. Hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade has always been clear that he wanted to see a full debate in Parliament on the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) ahead of the vote on the European Parliament, now scheduled for 15 February. Decisions with respect to the timing and form of a debate are for the business managers in the House of Commons. Due to the pressures of the legislative timetable it has not been possible to hold the debate in the main chamber, but the Government was pleased to have had the opportunity to debate this important matter on 6 February and within the appropriate timetable.

Women and Equalities

Government Equalities Office: Pay

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what the level of earnings is of the (a) highest and (b) lowest-paid employees of her Department, its agencies and arms-length bodies; and what the median level of earnings is for such employees.

Caroline Dinenage: As at December 2016 (latest figures available), for staff in the Government Equalities Office (GEO), the level of earnings of the highest and lowest paid employees and the median level of earnings is:  GEO Paid staff Dec16 Highest Paid*£90,000Lowest Paid*£24,380Median*£43,740 (*Please note these figures are ‘rounded’ to the nearest £5 in line with the Department’s published pay data). The Equality and Human Rights Commission is an independent body and makes its own decisions about its staff salaries. I have therefore asked the Chief Executive of the Commission to write to the honourable member responding to the question. I will place a copy of the letter in the libraries of both Houses.

Department for Transport

Department for Transport: Pay

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the level of earnings is of the (a) highest and (b) lowest-paid employees of his Department, its agencies and arms-length bodies; and what the median level of earnings is for such employees.

Mr John Hayes: The Office for National Statistics publish annually the highest and median salary for each Civil Service organization as part of the Civil Service Statistics. This information can be found on the Office for National Statistics website: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/publicsectorpersonnel/datasets/medianpayannexb Earning levels for the lowest paid employee are not publically available.

Department for Transport: Brexit

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will place in the Library a list of public consultations, White Paper and other documents his Department plans to publish to assist the UK in making effective the Government's plans for the UK to leave the EU within the two year timetable from the triggering of Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty.

Andrew Jones: On 2 February the Government published a White Paper setting out its objectives and plans for the new partnership we want to build with the EU. The Department currently has no plans for further publications. Any future publications would be deposited in the library of the House in the usual way.

Aviation: Exhaust Emissions

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the upcoming aviation strategy will outline how the UK will limit aviation emissions to at least below 2005 levels by 2050.

Mr John Hayes: The Government is committed to meeting its emissions reduction targets under the Climate Change Act. On the 2 February, alongside laying the Airport National Policy Statement, the Secretary of State for Transport set out his intention to develop a new Aviation Strategy in which we will look to address the issue of the sector’s climate change impacts. We remain open and willing to consider all feasible measures to ensure that the aviation sector contributes fairly to UK emissions reductions. The first stage in developing the Strategy will be a Call for Evidence in the spring.

Aviation: Carbon Emissions

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his speech to Airlines UK on 25 January 2017, on what grounds he asserts that the doubling of the world's aircraft fleet over the next 20 years and the introduction of cleaner and more efficient aircraft will deliver a fall in global carbon emissions.

Mr John Hayes: While the global aviation fleet is expected to double over the next 20 years, action taken by the industry, governments and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to effect carbon reduction means that the total carbon emissions from the sector will not rise in line with growth in demand. This will be achieved through a combination of factors, including the development and adoption of new technologies, operational efficiencies, greater use of sustainable aviation fuels, and offsetting through schemes such as that agreed at last year’s ICAO Assembly. Specifically, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has committed, on behalf of the global aviation sector, to continuously improve the CO2 efficiency of civil aircraft by an average of 1.5 per cent per annum from 2009 until 2020, to achieve carbon neutral growth from 2020, and to reduce its carbon emissions by 50 per cent by 2050 compared to 2005 levels.

Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Facilities

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his Department's policy is on the provision of roadside toilets and other facilities for HGV drivers.

Mr John Hayes: The Department is determined to improve the provision of roadside toilets and other facilities for HGV drivers, through working with stakeholders in a number of areas. It is developing with representative groups what will be official standards for facilities at Motorway Service Areas. This is part of wider work also involving improved planning, ensuring high standards more generally including at truck stops and making sure that delivery drivers have access to toilets at customer sites. This work is being informed by a systematic parking survey for completion in the Spring which will help in understanding where more facilities are most needed.

Department for Transport: Staff

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many agency staff his Department has employed in each of the last 12 months.

Mr John Hayes: The table below details the number of agency staff working for the department in each of the last 12 months. This response covers the central department and its four executive agencies. 2016January120February117March116April94May104June102July99August99September99October101November102December106

Helicopters: Norway

Drew Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with Airbus Helicopters on (a) Airbus' internal investigations into the accident at Turøy in April 2016 and (b) progress made in identifying with the Accident Investigation Board for Norway the causes of that accident.

Mr John Hayes: Following the accident in April 2016, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has been in regular contact with all interested parties including Airbus helicopters, the European Aviation Safety Agency, Norwegian authorities, helicopter operators, the offshore industry and workforce representatives. Department for Transport officials have also had discussions with Airbus Helicopters. The Norwegian accident investigation team has published interim reports on its progress investigating the accident. Its work continues and a final report has not yet been published. The UK Air Accident Investigation Branch is assisting the Accident Investigation Board of Norway (AIBN) under European and International protocols, and has been involved in their discussions with the manufacturer. The AIBN are conducting the investigation and any information on the investigation and progress will be released and published by them.

M3

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance on the duration and timing of works Highways England gives to its contractors operating on the M3 between junctions 2 and 4a.

Mr John Hayes: There is a contractual agreement between Highways England and its contractor to achieve best value for money in meeting the timescales specified in Highways England’s Delivery Plan. This outlines the legislation, standards, guidance and criteria to adhere to, including shift patterns and ensuring minimal disruption to the travelling public and to the local neighbourhood. Highways England also dictates the periods when additional lane or full closure can only take place, which are usually overnight and depend on low traffic flows. The M3 J2-4a scheme is on target to open for traffic by 30 June 2017.

Roads: Greater London

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with the Mayor of London on roadworks in London; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Jones: Ministers and officials at the Department for Transport hold regular meetings with representatives of Transport for London at which a range of issues are discussed, including roadworks. The Secretary of State has not recently held discussions with the Mayor of London on this particular matter.

Railways: Parking

James Cartlidge: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what power he has to intervene in respect of car park charges set by the rail franchise where the franchisee controls car parks adjacent to railway stations within their franchise area; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Maynard: Car park charges are set on a commercial basis by the train operator, and the Department for Transport plays no role in stipulating these through the franchise agreement. Parking charges will be set at a level that reflects demand, as well as taking account of local charges at car parks operated by third parties.

Railways: Parking

James Cartlidge: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect on passengers of recent changes to car park charges at franchisee controlled railway station car park on the Greater Anglia franchise route.

Paul Maynard: No assessment has been made. Car parking charges are a commercial matter for the operator.

Stansted Airport: Railways

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made in improving rail links to Stansted Airport; and what timescale he has set to ensure that those links are improved.

Mr John Hayes: The new East Anglia franchise is bringing a number of improvements for passengers travelling to Stansted airport, including new trains with free Wi-Fi from February 2019 and a minimum 12.5% reduction in anytime single and return fares and anytime single fares on the Stansted Express by early 2017. By early 2018, passengers will be able to purchase tickets via a dedicated Stansted Express website, to be delivered to their mobile devices for validation. Almost all hourly services between Norwich and Cambridge are to be extended to provide a direct service to and from Stansted Airport. In addition, CrossCountry is planning to deliver additional services between the Midlands and Stansted Airport as and when additional rolling stock and train paths become available. The West Anglia Taskforce examined potential long term upgrades to rail infrastructure between London, Stansted and Cambridge and the benefits it might generate. The Taskforce published its recommendations and a suggested timetable for action last July. We have already actioned one of the recommendations of the West Anglia Taskforce report – to establish a rail “action group” for the West Anglia Main Line. This group comprising representatives of the Department for Transport and other key stakeholders is examining a number of issues in relation to the West Anglia Main Line, including potential improvements to services to Stansted airport.

Rail Delivery Group

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects to receive the initial industry advice from the Rail Delivery Group; and if he will publish that advice.

Paul Maynard: Initial Industry Advice was received from the Rail Delivery Group on 31st January 2017. We are now considering this advice and intend to publish it in due course.

Airports

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department's aviation strategy will set out how the Government plans to support the development of airports with spare capacity to their maximum potential up to 2030 or before Heathrow expansion is complete.

Mr John Hayes: As part of the development of the Aviation Strategy, we will look at how demand for air travel is likely to evolve in the coming decades, and what that will mean for our existing infrastructure. The Strategy will seek to address how we should make the best use that we can of existing infrastructure, and what principles should govern development going forward.

Bus Services: Disability

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has made of the options available to increase the provision of audio-visual information on buses.

Andrew Jones: The Bus Services Bill includes powers to introduce an Accessible Information Requirement, for local buses throughout Great Britain to provide audible and visible next stop announcements. The impact assessment for these new powers considered a number of options to increase the provision of audio-visual information on buses and is available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/561964/bus-services-bill-accessibility-information-requirement-annex-a.pdf

Bus Services: Visual Impairment

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to improve access to bus services for people who are visually impaired.

Andrew Jones: The Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 (PSVAR) have achieved a step-change in the accessibility of local bus services, including for visually impaired people who benefit from the priority seating, colour-contrasting step edges and hand-holds that it requires. Around 94% of buses in England now comply with the requirements of the PSVAR. The Bus Services Bill, which is currently before Parliament, includes powers to introduce an Accessible Information Requirement, for local buses throughout Great Britain to provide audible and visible next stop announcements. I am also preparing to launch a consultation on the Accessibility Action Plan (AAP) which is a cross modal plan to build on our social inclusion agenda by reducing barriers to disabled people accessing transport services.

M60

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made towards making the M60 a smart motorway; and if he will make a statement.

Mr John Hayes: As announced in the Roads Investment Strategy, Highways England are delivering a Smart Motorway on the M60 between junction 8 and junction 18, as part of the Manchester Smart Motorway (which also includes M62 Junction 18 to 20). This is currently being built and is due to open for traffic as planned in September 2017. Highways England are also upgrading the M60 to Smart Motorway between the M60 junction 24 (M67 Denton Interchange) to junction 4 (M56 Kingsway interchange). This is currently in the early stage of its design development and due to open for traffic as planned in 2019-2020.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Cleaning Services

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the hourly pay-rate is for his Department's cleaning staff.

Alok Sharma: Cleaning services to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's UK Estate, are provided by Interserve, as part of a facilities management contract. Interserve are responsible for setting rates of pay for their staff and have informed the FCO that they currently pay £7.20 per hour to staff for cleaning the FCO's UK buildings. This will rise to £7.50 per hour on 1 April 2017.

Saudi Arabia: Capital Punishment

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 16 June 2016 to Questions 40437 and 40433, when his Department last made representations to Saudi Arabia (a) expressing concern about the extent of the application of and (b) encouraging abolition of the death penalty in that country.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The UK Government does not shy away from raising legitimate human rights concerns. We regularly raise the death penalty with the Saudi authorities, most recently on 19 January.The UK Government opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country, including Saudi Arabia, especially for crimes other than the most serious and for juveniles, in line Article Six of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Arab Charter on Human Rights.

Saudi Arabia: Convention on Cluster Munitions

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 16 June 2016 to Question 40456, what recent representations the UK has made to Saudi Arabia to accede to the Convention on Cluster Munitions; and on what dates those representations were made.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: In line with our obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions, we regularly encourage Saudi Arabia, as a non-party to the Convention, to accede to it. The most recent Ministerial engagement on this issue was in October. Foreign Office Ministers, our Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and officials have frequent meetings with the Saudi government and officials to discuss a full range of regional and bilateral issues.

Criminal Proceedings: Standards

Neil Coyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how his Department assesses the work of country criminal justice advisors; and if he will make a statement.

Alok Sharma: This Government believes that a fair and effective criminal justice system is an essential underpinning for states seeking to respect human rights and to prosper. The UK has useful experience to offer other states. Our criminal justice advisers play a valuable role in sharing this experience to the mutual benefit of the UK and the international community.The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not conducted any formal assessment of the work of HMG country criminal justice advisers. These advisers, most of whom are employed by the Crown Prosecution Service, are based across a number of posts around the world.

Ko Ni

Sir Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Government of Burma on the murder of Ko Ni.

Sir Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assistance he plans to offer to the Government of Burma to help it investigate the murder of Ko Ni.

Alok Sharma: The Government was deeply troubled by the murder of U Ko Ni. He was killed at the airport while returning from a UK-funded study trip to Indonesia. He was a leading advocate for democratic reform, and the Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Mr Boris Johnson), met him at a reception at the British Ambassador's Residence in Rangoon during his visit to Burma on 21 January. Our Ambassador attended his funeral on 31 January. An official police investigation into U Ko Ni's death is now under way. We await its outcome. The Burmese authorities have not requested our assistance in the investigation and neither have we offered it.

Kenya: Counter-terrorism

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what funding and other support the Government has provided to the Kenyan Anti-Terrorism Police Unit in the last three years.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The UK Government is working to support the Kenyan authorities in our shared aim of reducing the threat from terrorism. Our support enhances Kenya's capability to disrupt terrorist threats, gather evidence and make arrests. We do not provide direct funding to the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit, but support capacity building in investigative skills, operations management, forensics and evidence recovery as well as infrastructure. Respect for human rights and adherence to the law form key components of all our engagement.

Libya: Oil

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department holds on whether receipts and revenue flows accruing from Libya's renewed oil production have been deposited or held in UK banking and financial institutions; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We do not hold detailed information on receipts and revenue flows from Libya's renewed oil production. What is important is that the resumption of Libya's oil production is sustained to generate the vital revenue needed to enable the Government of National Accord (GNA) to deliver public services and address the needs of the Libyan people: electricity in homes, cash in banks, improving healthcare and infrastructure, for the benefit of all Libyans. Building a safe, secure and prosperous Libya that is able confidently to tackle the challenges in the region is in all our interests.

Iraq: Military Intervention

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions the Government has had with Iraqi and Kurdish authorities on the withdrawal of Kurdish forces from lands they have captured in northern Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The UK has regular discussions – at ministerial level, and through our Embassy in Baghdad and Consulate-General in Erbil - with the Government of Iraq (GoI) and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) - in which we stress the need for an inclusive political plan for Northern Iraq following Daesh’s defeat. That includes ensuring that the current military cooperation between the KRG and GoI is transferred into political cooperation after Mosul’s liberation. The KRG has committed to withdraw from those territories captured from Daesh since the start of the Mosul operation in October 2016. We support and welcome that position. We also continue to encourage the GoI and KRG to resolve the future status of the disputed territories through dialogue in line with Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution.

Israel: Bedouin

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to tackle the situation in Umm al-Hiran, South Israel.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The UK is concerned by recent reports of violence in the Negev Bedouin village of Umm al-Hiran in Israel. We continue to encourage the Israeli authorities and Bedouin communities to engage in dialogue to agree a satisfactory solution to the issue, respecting the equality of all of Israel’s citizens.

Israel: Bedouin

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representation he has made to the Israeli Government on the protection of homes of villagers in Umm al-Hiran.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We have highlighted the significant interest in this issue in the UK with the Israeli authorities, and called on the Israeli authorities and Bedouin community to work together to find a solution that meets the needs and respects the rights of the people affected. This should include a robust planning process that adequately consults and addresses the needs of Israel’s Bedouin communities.

Commonwealth Secretariat: Buildings

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had on the cost of refurbishing the Commonwealth Secretary-General's residence; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Secretary General's official residence is fully maintained and allowance is made in the existing Secretariat budget to provide ongoing general maintenance. It is customary to refurbish the premises on the appointment of a new Secretary General, thus giving a cycle of approximately eight years. The budget for the renovation of the official residence was agreed by the Board of Governors at its meeting in June 2015, before the appointment of Baroness Scotland. Nevertheless, we welcome the Secretary General's statement that "any work on Hill Street must represent value for money and no extravagance".

Commonwealth Secretariat

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department takes to provide accountability and oversight of public money spent by the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We support the work of the Commonwealth Secretariat. We expect the Secretariat to use any funding we provide efficiently and effectively in line with its agreed budget, financial procedures and priorities. In addition to external audit, the Secretariat's budget is assessed by the Commonwealth's Executive Committee (ExCo) and Board of Governors. The UK is a member of both groups, represented by the UK's Commonwealth Envoy. Through attendance at these meetings we ensure that UK funds are allocated and spent in an efficient and transparent manner. We are committed to supporting the Secretary General's efforts to reform and revitalise the Commonwealth Secretariat and to working with her and our Commonwealth partners to strengthen the organisation.

Libya: Oil

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information he holds on how the EU is monitoring the resumption of Libyan oil exports from the ports of Ras Lanuf, Zuwetina, Es Sidra and Brega.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: ​We are unaware of any EU mechanism that specifically monitors the resumption of Libyan oil exports. UN Security Council Resolutions 2259 and 2278 highlight the importance of the Libyan State financial institutions, including the National Oil Corporation, the Central Bank of Libya, and the Libyan Investment Authority, continuing to function for the benefit of all Libyans. The UK maintains regular contact with the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) on a range of issues, including the importance of resuming Libya's oil production to generate the vital revenue needed to enable the Government to provide essential services for the Libyan people, including electricity, healthcare, infrastructure, and other services. The most recent announcement by the National Oil Corporation Chairman in London on 24 January put national oil production at 715,000 barrels per day.

Libya: Terrorism

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions his Department has had with the Libyan Deputy Prime Minister on the formation of a committee to assess the case of victims of IRA terrorism; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: ​We have made clear to the Libyan authorities that resolution of this issue remains a priority for us. The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Mr Johnson) and I raised the issue of compensation during our respective meetings with Prime Minister Serraj and Deputy Prime Minister Maiteq during the London Ministerial on 31 October 2016. We will continue to encourage the Libyan authorities to engage with UK victims and their legal representatives seeking redress, including those seeking compensation.

Israel: Bedouin

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Israeli Government on protecting the human rights of Bedouin villagers living in Israel; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We continue to encourage the Israeli authorities and Bedouin communities to engage in dialogue to agree a satisfactory solution to the issue, respecting the equality of all of Israel’s citizens. This should include a robust planning process that adequately consults and addresses the needs of Israel’s Bedouin communities.

Libya: Terrorism

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions his Department has had with Libyan Deputy Prime Minister, Ahmed Maiteeq, regarding the formation of a committee to study the case of victims of IRA terrorism; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: ​We have made clear to the Libyan authorities that resolution of this issue remains a priority for us. The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Mr Johnson) and I raised the issue of compensation during our respective meetings with Prime Minister Serraj and Deputy Prime Minister Maiteq during the London Ministerial on 31 October 2016. We will continue to encourage the Libyan authorities to engage with UK victims and their legal representatives seeking redress, including those seeking compensation.

Libya: Oil

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information he holds on how the EU monitors the resumption of Libyan oil exports from the ports of Ras Lanuf, Zuwetina, Es Sidra and Brega; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We are unaware of any EU mechanism that specifically monitors the resumption of Libyan oil exports. UN Security Council Resolutions 2259 and 2278 highlight the importance of the Libyan State financial institutions, including the National Oil Corporation, the Central Bank of Libya, and the Libyan Investment Authority, continuing to function for the benefit of all Libyans. The UK maintains regular contact with the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) on a range of issues, including the importance of resuming Libya's oil production to generate the vital revenue needed to enable the Government to provide essential services for the Libyan people, including electricity, healthcare, infrastructure, and other services. The most recent announcement by the National Oil Corporation Chairman in London on 24 January put national oil production at 715,000 barrels per day.

Israel: Bedouin

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to support the cessation of the demolition of the village of Umm al-Hiran in southern Israel.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We understand that the Israeli authorities have issued a demolition order against the village. We continue to encourage the Israeli authorities and Bedouin communities to engage in dialogue to agree a satisfactory solution to the issue, respecting the equality of all of Israel’s citizens.

Overseas Trade: Occupied Territories

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will publish and promote a stronger set of guidelines to businesses and banks to ensure they respect international law and human rights in their dealings with Israeli businesses operating in occupied territory.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: In December 2013 we placed advice online to raise awareness of the key security and political risks which UK businesses may face when operating abroad, including in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. This includes guidance on Israeli settlements. There are currently no plans to update this guidance.

Overseas Trade: Israeli Settlements

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will support measures by the UN Human Rights Council to draw up a database of all UK firms involved in trade or financial dealings with illegal settlements in coordination with the EU and UN.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The UK, alongside our EU partners abstained on a vote about proposals for a database at vote at the UN Human Rights Council in March 2016 . The database has not yet been finalised.In December 2013 we placed advice online to raise awareness of the key security and political risks which UK businesses may face when operating abroad, including in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. This includes guidance on Israeli settlements. We are advising British businesses to bear in mind the British Government's view on the illegality of settlements under international law when considering their investments and activities in the region.

Department for International Development

Overseas Aid

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 18 January 2017 to Question 59290, for what reasons other Departments have Official Development Assistance (ODA) budgets; and if she will review the effectiveness of the ODA budgets of other Departments to ensure value for money for the public purse.

Rory Stewart: Spending 0.7% of Gross National Income on Official Development Assistance (ODA) is a UK commitment which is firmly in the national interest. In order to respond to the new global challenges, the UK Aid Strategy sets out the need to deploy the wider skills and expertise of all parts of government.Accounting officers of departments or public bodies whose money is being spent on aid need to ensure they fulfil their obligations under HM Treasury’s ‘Managing Public Money’, including ensuring value for money of the use of public funds.The International Development Act places an obligation on the Secretary of State to ensure the independent evaluation of UK ODA.

Overseas Aid

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 18 January 2017 to Question 59290, what the value of other Departments' Official Development Assistance budgets was for each of the last six years.

Rory Stewart: ODA spend by other departments is available from the National Statistics publication, Statistics on International Development:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/572073/table-a-3a.ods

Department for International Development: Security

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which persons not employed by her Department hold security passes entitling them to enter her Department's premises.

Rory Stewart: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 07 February 2017.The correct answer should have been:

Civil servants have to have the ability to work flexibly across government sites where there is a business need to do so. Passes may also be issued to contractors or secondees where there is an identified business need for them to enter Department for International Development premises, subject to the usual security checks. For security reasons it would not be appropriate to provide details of individuals who hold such passes.

Rory Stewart: Civil servants have to have the ability to work flexibly across government sites where there is a business need to do so. Passes may also be issued to contractors or secondees where there is an identified business need for them to enter Department for International Development premises, subject to the usual security checks. For security reasons it would not be appropriate to provide details of individuals who hold such passes.

Andargachew Tsege

Liz McInnes: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether she raised the case of Andrew Tsege during her recent visit to Ethiopia.

James Wharton: Andargachew Tsege’s consular case was raised during the Secretary of State’s meeting with Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn.

Department for Education

Apprentices: Taxation

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when her Department plans to respond to the email of 22 November 2016 from Tim Fuller, the Director of Reality Business, on the apprenticeship levy.

Robert Halfon: I can confirm that a response has been issued to Mr Fuller on 24 January.

Lifelong Education

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Government's Industrial Strategy green paper, whether she plans to publish an integrated strategy for lifelong learning.

Robert Halfon: As part of the Government’s work on lifetime learning, we have identified significant trends such as a decline in work-based training, and key barriers deterring adults from gaining new skills, including perceived costs and prevailing attitudes about the benefits of learning. As set out in the Industrial Strategy Green Paper, the Government is committed to exploring ambitious new approaches to tackle these barriers and encourage lifetime learning, including reaching out to workers whose industries are rapidly changing or in decline.

Adult Education

Mr David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of changes in the level of provision of adult education courses available in the evening since 2010; and if she will make a statement.

Robert Halfon: The Department for Education supports adult further education and skills training through the Adult Education Budget. Since 2011 Colleges and training providers have the flexibility to determine how they use their budget allocation, working with Local Enterprise Partnerships and local commissioners to determine the offer that best meets local needs. This approach enables providers to deliver learning in locations and at times that suit their learners. There is no requirement for Colleges to report on the times at which they make courses available, and we have not conducted a central assessment.

Adult Education

Mr David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Government's Post-16 Skills Plan, published in July 2016, when her Department plans to publish its approach to lifetime learning for adults; and if she will make a statement.

Robert Halfon: As part of the Government’s work on lifetime learning, we have identified significant trends such as a decline in work-based training, and key barriers deterring adults from gaining new skills, including perceived costs and prevailing attitudes about the benefits of learning. As set out in the Industrial Strategy Green Paper, the Government is committed to exploring ambitious new approaches to tackle these barriers and encourage lifetime learning, including reaching out to workers whose industries are rapidly changing or in decline.

Pupils: Per Capita Costs

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much her Department spends on each secondary school pupil in England and Wales; and how much is spent on places in (a) grammar and (b) non-selective school.

Nick Gibb: For the current financial year 2016 to 2017, the pre-16 funding for secondary pupils is published here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-block-funding-allocations-2016-to-2017   Schools selective status can be viewed here:http://www.education.gov.uk/edubase/home.xhtml

Digital Technology: Training

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the cost of the amendments to the Digital Economy Bill on skills training on digital inclusion.

Robert Halfon: We are seeking to introduce a new statutory duty on the Secretary of State for Education through the Digital Economy Bill. This duty will ensure that in England when an adult aged 19 or over, who is considered to lack basic digital skills, studies for a relevant publicly-funded digital skills qualification, the individual will not be charged for that training. The costs will be met from the existing Adult Education Budget. The Adult Education Budget is £1.5bn in 2016-17, with indicative projections remaining at this level up to 2019-20.

Standards and Testing Agency

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will place in the Library the mandate or remit given to the Standards and Testing Authority for the review of assessment that Authority is carrying out for her Department.

Nick Gibb: The Standards and Testing Agency (STA) was established in October 2011 as an executive agency of the Department for Education. On its establishment, the STA took over some of the functions of the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency, which was abolished.The Agency’s primary purpose is to provide an effective and robust testing, assessment and moderation system to measure and monitor pupils’ progress through primary school from reception to the end of Key Stage 3. The Agency is responsible for the development and delivery of National Curriculum assessments and testing in England, and this work is underpinned by regulations made by the Secretary of State for Education, namely the Education (National Curriculum) (Key Stage 1 Assessment Arrangements) (England) Order 2004 and the Education (National Curriculum) (Key Stage 2 Assessment Arrangements) (England) Order 2003. The powers to make these regulations are set out in sections 87 and 210 of the Education Act 2002.

Apprentices

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 9 January 2017 to Question 57578, on apprentices, if she will make an assessment of the potential effect of advances in robotics on job opportunities for apprentices.

Robert Halfon: There are currently no plans for the Department to assess the potential effect that advances in robotics will have on job opportunities for apprentices.One of the key principles in our 2020 Vision for Apprenticeships in England is that employers are in control of designing apprenticeships so that they focus on exactly the skills, knowledge and behaviours that are required of the workforce of the future.Employers are developing new high level standards in a wide range of sectors and in many occupations where there was previously no apprenticeships provision.New standards such as the degree level Embedded Electronic Systems Design or Development Engineer are vital for the robotics sector.

Overseas Students

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number of overseas students currently studying at UK (a) schools and (b) universities.

Joseph Johnson: (a) The Department does not have any data source that separately identifies the number of ‘overseas students’ attending schools in the UK where an overseas student is defined as a student who is not normally resident in the UK but has travelled to the UK to study.(b) Data published by the Higher Education Statistics Authority (HESA) shows that in 2015/16, 438,000 international students (from both EU and Non-EU countries) were enrolled in UK Higher Education Institutions. Enrolment data for 2016/17 is currently unavailable.

Department for Education: Cleaning Services

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the hourly pay-rate is for her Department's cleaning staff.

Caroline Dinenage: Cleaning services in buildings managed by the Department are outsourced under a facilities management contract. Suppliers are responsible for setting rates of pay for their staff and rates for cleaners vary dependent on location and market rates. They have informed the Department that they currently pay between £8.25 and £9.40 per hour to staff for cleaning the Department’s buildings.

Students: Loans

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress her Department has made on providing student loan finance that is compliant with Islamic law.

Joseph Johnson: This Government has introduced the primary legislation required to allow alternative student finance, consistent with the principles of Islamic finance, to be offered alongside grants and loans. The Higher Education and Research Bill is currently before Parliament.

Higher Education: British Nationals Abroad

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that British children living abroad have the same financial help to attend British universities as children who live in the UK.

Joseph Johnson: In order to qualify for support, British nationals should generally have lived in the United Kingdom and Islands, elsewhere in the European Economic area, or in Switzerland for the three years prior to the start of their course. Satisfying this requirement demonstrates they have a substantial and recent connection with the United Kingdom, and has been upheld by the Courts as a reasonable test.An exception to this rule is made for those who have been temporarily absent or employed overseas. This provides flexibility for students who do not meet the residence requirements but have not made a long-term decision to live outside the country.

Children: Day Care

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the number of children in receipt of 15 hours free childcare who will be ineligible for receipt of the further 30 hours free childcare.

Caroline Dinenage: The latest census data on the provision of education for children under 5 years of age shows there are approximately 1.34 million 3- and 4- year old children benefitting from funded early education places: see Table 2, https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/education-provision-children-under-5-years-of-age-january-2016. Included in this figure are approximately 430,000 children who are in reception and other non-nursery classes; this leaves approximately 910,000 children who are currently in receipt of the 15 hour free entitlement. We have provisionally estimated how many of these may not be eligible using data on income from the Family Resources Survey and Survey of Personal Incomes. This suggests roughly 520,000 children currently in receipt of the 15 hour free entitlement will not be eligible for the receipt for the further 15 hours of free childcare. Some of these households will not be eligible because their income will exceed the £100,000 income limit. The additional 15 hours is an entitlement to support parents in work. Families where both parents (or the sole parent in a lone parent family) are earning the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the national minimum or living wage will be able to receive 30 hours of free childcare each week. Lower income parents who work fewer than 16 hours a week at the national minimum or living wage may be able to claim up to 85% of their childcare costs through the childcare element of Universal Credit.

Voluntary Work: Discrimination

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will amend the Equality Act 2010, or bring forward new legislation, to protect volunteers from encountering discrimination in the workplace.

Caroline Dinenage: Volunteers are not covered by the Equality Act 2010 (the Act) because they do not meet the definition of an employee under the Act, a position confirmed by the Supreme Court in the case of X v Mid Sussex Citizens Advice Bureau [2012]. We have no plans to change this.

Foreign Students: EU Countries

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many UK students have studied in higher education facilities in EU member states in each of the last five years.

Joseph Johnson: Data from The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) shows that there were approximately 13,000 UK students studying higher education courses wholly in other EU member states in 2014. The table below contains estimates for last five years of available data.Estimated1 total number of internationally mobile students2 from the UK studying higher education courses wholly3 in other EU member states from 2010 to 2014201020112012201320149,00012,00011,00012,00013,000Source: http://data.uis.unesco.org/.1 Estimates are made by the department using UNESCO data2 UNESCO defines internationally mobile students as those “who have crossed a national or territorial border for the purpose of education and are now enrolled outside their country of origin.”3 The figures above only include UK students that studied wholly in other EU member states. They do not include those studying on Erasmus and other placement schemesIn addition, an estimated 10,000 UK students studied in EU institutions as part of an Erasmus+ programme in academic year 2013/14. The table below shows estimates for the last five available years of data.Outgoing UK Erasmus Student Mobility to EU member states from 2009/10 to 2013/142009/102010/112011/122012/132013/148,0009,0009,00010,00010,000Source: British Council information held as part of their Erasmus + programme management: https://www.erasmusplus.org.uk/file/1251/download

Social Services: Children

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans for the statutory guidance prescribed in Clause 37 of the Children and Social Work Bill to set out minimum standards for monitoring and evaluation.

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to Chapter 3 of the Children and Social Work Bill and her Department's responsibility to monitor and evaluate pilot periods, whether there is a defined threshold at which trials are to be deemed no longer to be working in the best interests of children.

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to Chapter 3 of the Children and Social Work Bill and her Department's responsibility to monitor and evaluate pilot periods, whether there is a defined trigger that will prompt her to revoke the regulations and immediately stop any trial deemed to be no longer working in the best interests of children.

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to her reference to adverse impacts on children during committee stage of the Children and Social Work Bill on 10 January 2017, what such impacts are in the context of Chapter 3 of the Children and Social Work Bill.

Edward Timpson: The statutory guidance provided for in Clause 37 of the Children and Social Work Bill will contain expectations for monitoring and evaluation of pilots. The Government has committed to publically consult on this guidance.All pilots will be closely monitored and evaluated. The specific monitoring and evaluation arrangements for any given pilot will be agreed as part of the application, and tailored to the particular details of a pilot. This will include an agreement about conditions under which a pilot would be ended.The expert advisory panel will provide published advice on the proposed monitoring and evaluation arrangements of all pilots to ensure they are robust. Information about monitoring and evaluation of pilots will also be contained in the explanatory report, which will accompany regulations laid in Parliament.

Pre-school Education: Finance

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the change in the level of funding for maintained nursery schools in (a) England and (b) Coventry in the last three years; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Dinenage: Local authorities have reported their planned expenditure for maintained nursery schools through annual Section 251 returns, showing how they plan to spend their funding from the Dedicated Schools Grant. The hourly rates of funding for delivering the 3 and 4 year-old entitlements in maintained nursey schools are shown below:3 and 4 year-olds 2014-152015-162016-17Coventry£ 7.29£ 7.34£ 7.52England£ 7.18£ 7.19£ 7.80These rates do not include other sources of funding for maintained nursery schools. We are providing local authorities with supplementary funding of £55 million a year for their maintained nursery schools. This supplementary funding will allow local authorities to maintain their current levels of funding at least to the end of this Parliament. It will give maintained nursery schools stability during wider changes to the early years funding system whilst also allowing us the time to consult on the future of maintained nursery schools, which we will do in due course. We have committed to conducting a data assurance exercise in March this year to verify 2016-17 levels of expenditure on maintained nursery schools which will underpin the 2017-18 maintained nursery school local authority allocations of the £55 million.

Church Commissioners

Church Commissioners: Pay

Jon Trickett: To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what the total pay bill was for (a) male and (b) female employees in the Church Commissioners in 2015-16; and what the per capita spend from that pay bill for each man and woman was in that year.

Dame Caroline Spelman: The Church Commissioners have two different employment strands: one for the investments team and one for all other Commissioners’ staff. The total and per capita pay bill spends for men and women in the 2016 calendar year were:Staff (excluding investment team):Total paybill (gross earnings): £5,873,188Male: £3,719,955; per capita (average) £82,666Female: £2,153,233; per capita (average): £52,518 Investments team:Total paybill (gross earnings): £3,610,872Male: £2,387,023; per capita (average) £119,351Female: £1,223,849; per capita (average): £94,142

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Cleaning Services

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the hourly pay-rate is for her Department's cleaning staff.

Matt Hancock: I refer the hon. Member to the answer on 4 March 2016 to the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Catherine West) to Question 28600.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Brexit

Ms Gisela Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will place in the Library a list of public consultations, White Papers and other documents her Department plans to publish to assist the UK in making effective the Government's plans for the UK to leave the EU within the two year timetable from the triggering of Article 50.

Matt Hancock: The Government has published a White Paper (The United Kingdom’s exit from and new partnership with the European Union). It is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/a-new-positive-and-constructive-partnership-with-the-european-union

Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Security

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which persons not employed by her Department and its agencies hold security passes entitling them to enter her Department's premises.

Matt Hancock: Civil servants have to have the ability to work flexibly across government sites where there is a business need to do so. The issuing of all passes is controlled by the local Departmental Security teams. Passes can also be issued to contractors or secondees based within Government premises on a case by case basis in regards to specific business needs. Numbers of passes issued directly to non-civil servants for access to departmental buildings will fluctuate over the course of a year.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Pay

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the (a) level of earnings is of the (i) highest and (ii) lowest-paid employee and (b) median earnings are of employees of her Department, agencies and arms-length bodies.

George Eustice: The Office for National Statistics publish annually the highest and median salary for each Civil Service organisation as part of the Civil Service Statistics. This information can be found on the Office for National Statistics website: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/publicsectorpersonnel/datasets/medianpayannexb Earning levels for the lowest paid employees are not publically available.

Pets: Imports

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) dogs, (b) cats and (c) ferrets were imported (i) non-commercially under the Pets Travel Scheme and (ii) commercially under the Trade in Animals and Related Products Regulations 2011 into the UK in 2016.

George Eustice: The commercial data was extracted from the Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES) and the pet data was taken from APHA’s system for recording pets entering the UK, based on information provided by pet checkers. In some cases imports are recorded on TRACES as “Canis familiaris / Felis catus”, so APHA are unable to distinguish between cat or dog imports. These are included on the table in row “Mixed cats/dogs”.PetsCommercialDogs275,87634,017Cats24,1452,572Ferrets1290Mixed cats/dogsN/A327

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Brexit

Ms Gisela Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will place in the Library a list of public consultations, White Papers and other documents her Department plans to publish to assist the UK in making effective the Government's plans for the UK to leave the EU within the two year timetable from the triggering of Article 50.

George Eustice: Defra is planning to publish two Green Papers, one on our 25 year plan for the environment, and one on our 25 year plan for food, farming and fisheries. The Department is considering options for legislative and non-legislative measures to achieve a smooth and orderly exit from the EU, including through the Great Repeal Bill. We will confirm plans in due course.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Security

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which persons not employed by her Department and its agencies hold security passes entitling them to enter her Department's premises.

George Eustice: Civil servants have to have the ability to work flexibly across government sites where there is a business need to do so. The issuing of all passes is controlled by the local Departmental Security teams. Passes can also be issued to contractors or secondees based within Government premises on a case by case basis in regards to specific business needs. Numbers of passes issued directly to non-civil servants for access to departmental buildings will fluctuate over the course of a year.

Agriculture and Food

Neil Coyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to publish the 25-year plan for food and farming.

George Eustice: Defra is committed to developing a 25 year food and farming plan, which will set out a new vision for UK food and farming outside of the EU. It will be published in due course.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Brexit

Calum Kerr: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made on each of the eight work streams within her Department's EU exit programme.

George Eustice: Across the eight work streams, the Department’s EU Exit Programme is carrying out detailed analysis of the implications and opportunities presented by EU Exit. This work will support the Prime Minister’s 12 negotiating objectives and the achievement of our vision to unlock the potential of farming and fisheries as well as ensuring that we leave the environment in a better state than we found it. It is our intention to shortly publish our 25 Year Food, Farming and Fishing, and Environment Green Papers, initiating a debate with all of Defra’s sectors and stakeholders, along with the wider public, to shape plans that will deliver genuine and lasting change for food, farming, fishing and the environment once we are outside the EU.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Brexit

Calum Kerr: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the eight work streams within her Department's EU exit programme are; and what the purpose of each of those work streams is.

George Eustice: The current workstreams within Defra’s EU Exit Programme are: EU Negotiations; Trade; Devolution; Repeal Bill, Future Agriculture and Land Use, Fisheries; Environment, and Animal and Plant Health. As the EU Exit Programme progresses, the workstreams may change as they are dynamic and under regular review. The workstreams in our EU Exit Programme are carrying out detailed analysis of the implications and opportunities presented by EU Exit.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Brexit

Calum Kerr: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the role of devolved administrations will be in her Department's EU exit programme.

George Eustice: We will seek to agree a UK approach to the negotiations and ensure we get the best possible deal for the whole of the UK. We have committed to carefully considering any proposals the devolved administrations put forward. Defra Ministers have visited each of the devolved administrations to meet with Ministers and stakeholders.

Agriculture

Calum Kerr: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when her consultation with farmers on her Department's EU exit programme will commence.

George Eustice: We will begin the process by consulting on our emerging vision and the strategic priorities for the future of the industries, through the form of a food, farming and fishing green paper which will be published in due course.

Ivory: Sales

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her Department's policy is on introducing a total ban on the sale of ivory in the UK; and if she will make a statement.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: In September, the Secretary of State for Environment announced a ban on trade in worked ivory from the last 70 years, making the UK rules on ivory amongst the toughest in the world. We will be consulting shortly on these plans. Our consultation will also seek evidence on the benefits and impacts of taking further action, and we welcome evidence from all stakeholders in response to our consultation. I have met with groups on all sides of this debate, from conservation experts to antiques sector representatives, and will continue to do so. I refer the Honorary Member to the debate on the 6th Februaryhttps://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2017-02-06/debates/04A0F6F6-C215-49E0-BF6B-87C55BE1AFE9/DomesticIvoryMarket

Department for Exiting the European Union

Department for Exiting the European Union: Cleaning Services

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what the hourly pay-rate is for his Department's cleaning staff.

Mr David Jones: DExEU is accommodated in Cabinet Office and Ministry of Defence buildings and I refer to the answers given by my honourable friends, the Member for Ipswich (Ben Gummer) on 07 February 2017 and Member for Milton Keynes North (Mark Lancaster) on 02 February 2017.

Department for Exiting the European Union: Cleaning Services

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, at what hourly rate cleaners are paid by his Department.

Mr David Jones: DExEU is accommodated in Cabinet Office and Ministry of Defence buildings and I refer to the answers given by my honourable friends, the Member for Ipswich (Ben Gummer) on 07 February 2017 and Member for Milton Keynes North (Mark Lancaster) on 02 February 2017.

Passports

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the cost of replacing passports to remove reference to the EU; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Jones: The Home Office lead on UK passport policy. Of course, the Department for Exiting the European Union is working closely with Home Office. Parliament will be informed of any changes to the passport following UK withdrawal from the European Union.

European Convention on Human Rights

Ms Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what his policy is on retaining Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights in UK law after the UK leaves the EU.

Mr David Jones: This Government is fully committed to the prohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. We have been clear that we condemn it and that will not change.  The Government has no plans to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights. The UK has a long-standing tradition of ensuring our rights and traditional liberties are protected domestically and of fulfilling our international human rights obligations. The decision to leave the European Union does not change that.

Attorney General

Attorney General: Security

Jon Trickett: To ask the Attorney General, which persons not employed by the Law Officers' Departments hold security passes entitling them to enter the Law Officers' Departments premises.

Robert Buckland: Civil servants have to have the ability to work flexibly across government sites where there is a business need to do so. The issuing of all passes is controlled by the local Departmental Security teams. Passes can also be issued to contractors or secondees based within Government premises on a case by case basis in regards to specific business needs. Numbers of passes issued directly to non-civil servants for access to departmental buildings will fluctuate over the course of a year.

Ministry of Justice

Prisoners: Crimes of Violence

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many extra days imprisonment have been given to prisoners for assaults committed on (a) fellow prisoners and (b) prison staff in each of the last five years.

Mr Sam Gyimah: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 15 December 2016.The correct answer should have been:

We want our prisons to be places of safety and reform, and so it is right that offenders who break prison rules are properly punished. Where this amounts to a criminal offence, prisoners should expect to be investigated by the police and face more serious sanctions.We are committed to improving safety across the prison estate and are already taking action. This includes tackling the use of drugs, mobile phones and drones, while recruiting new staff and improving protection for staff.Information on the number of additional days awarded to prisoners as a result of adjudications for assaults against staff and prisoners in each of the last five years can be found in the attached table.



assaults against staff & prisoners - adjudications
(Excel SpreadSheet, 11.06 KB)

Mr Sam Gyimah: We want our prisons to be places of safety and reform, and so it is right that offenders who break prison rules are properly punished. Where this amounts to a criminal offence, prisoners should expect to be investigated by the police and face more serious sanctions.We are committed to improving safety across the prison estate and are already taking action. This includes tackling the use of drugs, mobile phones and drones, while recruiting new staff and improving protection for staff.Information on the number of additional days awarded to prisoners as a result of adjudications for assaults against staff and prisoners in each of the last five years can be found in the attached table.



assaults against staff & prisoners - adjudications
(Excel SpreadSheet, 11.06 KB)

Immigration: Appeals

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average length of time was for a case to be determined from the time appeal papers arrive at the First Tier Tribunal office to determination of that appeal in 2015-16.

Sir Oliver Heald: The information requested in not held centrally.

Animal Welfare: Sentencing

Anna Turley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will commence section 281(5) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 to allow for penalties available under section 32 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to come into force.

Sir Oliver Heald: The government takes animal welfare very seriously and continues to keep the maximum penalties under review.

Prisons: Smuggling

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 6 December 2016, Official Report, column 97, what progress has been made on using patrol dogs to reduce the frequency of drones bringing contraband items on to the prison estate in England and Wales; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Sam Gyimah: We remain vigilant to all incidents involving drones and take the threat they pose to prison security very seriously. A range of methods to counter the threat posed by drones are being trialled and evaluated for their effectiveness across the prison estate. This includes the use of technology to detect and block drones, the enhancement of physical security and working with drone manufacturers.

Offences against Children

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the reasons are for the time taken to commence section 67 of the Serious Crime Act 2015.

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when she plans that section 67 of the Serious Crime Act 2015 will come into force.

Sir Oliver Heald: The Government is committed to commencing section 67 of the Serious Crime Act 2015 and will do so as soon as possible.

Immigration: Judges

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many full-time equivalent immigration judges have been practising in each year since 2012.

Sir Oliver Heald: The number of Immigration and Asylum Chamber judges in post, on 1 April, 2012-2016 are shown in the table below. HMCTS does not collect data on a full-time equivalent basis.YearFirst-tier TribunalUpper Tribunal2016242 fee-paid 77 salaried35 fee-paid 42 salaried2015286 fee-paid 91 salaried24 fee-paid 42 salaried2014315 fee-paid 111 salaried30 fee-paid 41 salaried2013320 fee-paid 128 salaried34 fee-paid 43 salaried2012347 fee-paid 132 salaried40 fee-paid 42 salaried   We do everything we can to avoid unnecessary delay in the Immigration & Asylum Tribunal and we have provided an additional 4,950 tribunal sitting days for this financial year to ensure current caseloads do not increase. We are keeping performance under close review and are confident there is sufficient capacity to deal with the number of appeals we expect to receive.

Ministry of Justice: Security

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which persons not employed by her Department and its agencies hold security passes entitling them to enter her Department's premises.

Sir Oliver Heald: Civil servants have to have the ability to work flexibly across government sites where there is a business need to do so. The issuing of all passes is controlled by the local Departmental Security teams. Passes can also be issued to contractors or secondees based within Government premises on a case by case basis in regards to specific business needs. Numbers of passes issued directly to non-civil servants for access to departmental buildings will fluctuate over the course of a year.

Young Offenders

Mrs Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she is taking to implement the recommendation in paragraph 87 of the Review of the Youth Justice system in England and Wales, published in December 2016, on reducing the period before which childhood convictions become spent.

Dr Phillip Lee: As set out in the government response to Charlie Taylor’s Review of the Youth Justice System, we will work with the Home Office to consider this recommendation once the Justice Select Committee's inquiry into youth criminal records concludes. The Home Office and the Ministry of Justice have provided written evidence to the Committee which can be found at: http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/justice-committee/disclosure-of-youth-criminal-records/written/43085.html

Ministry of Justice: Staff

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many former prisoners have been employed by her Department in each of the last five years.

Dr Phillip Lee: The information requested is not held centrally.

Scotland Office

Scotland Office: Senior Civil Servants

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what the (a) ethnicity, (b) gender, (c) disability status, (d) educational background and (e) socio-economic status is of the three most senior officials of his Department.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office does not employ staff directly. Details of ethnicity, gender, disability status, educational background and socio-economic status are a matter for the parent employers.

Cabinet Office

Cabinet Office: Cleaning Services

Tim Farron: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the hourly pay-rate is for his Department's cleaning staff.

Ben Gummer: The pay range for directly employed London cleaning staff is £20,188 - £24,430 per annum.The rate of pay per hour for cleaning staff employed by our Facilities Management contractors ranges from £6.80 to £9.40 for those aged under 21 and from £7.20 to £9.40 for those aged 21 and over, depending on the contract of the employee.

Electronic Warfare

Ian Lavery: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether any cyber attacks have been carried out on the UK which had the potential to affect its democratic processes.

Ben Gummer: The first duty of Government is to safeguard the nation, and we treat cyber security extremely seriously.Our system of paper balloting and hand counting means UK voting mechanisms do not lend themselves to direct electronic manipulation.The new National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) offers UK organisations, including political parties, access to the best cyber security advice and support to help them meet their responsibility to protect their information and prevent cyber attacks from all possible threats.

Companies: Ownership

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Sixth Special Report (HC911), Tackling corruption overseas: Government Response to the Fourth Report from the International Development Committee, Session 2016-17, whether it remains the Government's policy to persuade the UK's Crown Dependencies to adopt public registers of beneficial ownership.

Ben Gummer: It remains the Governments ambition for public registers to become the global standard. Our priority is to implement the new bilateral arrangements concluded with the Crown Dependencies in 2016. Under the arrangements, the Crown Dependencies have committed to establish, where they have not already done so, central registers of beneficial ownership information or similarly effective systems, and to give UK law enforcement and tax authorities near real-time access to beneficial ownership information on corporate and legal entities incorporated in these jurisdictions. The Crown Dependencies have also committed to systematic exchange of beneficial ownership information as part of a wider international initiative.These measures represent a significant step forward in our ability to investigate bribery and corruption, money laundering and tax evasion, and put the Crown Dependencies well ahead of several other jurisdictions. Should public central registries become the global standard we would expect the Crown Dependencies to follow suit.

Cabinet Office: Recruitment

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many civil servants have been recruited to his Department who previously worked at (a) PwC, (b) Deloitte, (c) Accenture, (d) KPMG, (e) McKinsey & Co, (f) Ernst & Young and (g) Bain & Company in the last 12 months.

Ben Gummer: The Cabinet Office does not hold information centrally about the previous employers of those recruited to the Civil Service.

Government Departments: Consultants

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what Government contracts have been awarded to (a) PwC, (b) Accenture, (c) Deloitte, (d) KPMG, (e) McKinsey & Co, (f) Ernst & Young and (g) Bain & Company; how much those contracts are worth; and how many of those contracts were pro bono in the last 12 months.

Ben Gummer: Since January 2011, details of central government contracts above the value of £10,000 are published on Contracts Finder. Contracts published prior to 26 February 2015 can be viewed at:https://data.gov.uk/data/contracts-finder-archiveThose published after 26 February 2015 can be viewed at:https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search

Death: Registration

Luciana Berger: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many deaths have been registered for people between the ages of (a) 50 and 64 and (b) 65 and over since 24 June 2016.

Chris Skidmore: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.



UKSA Letter to Member - Deaths at age 50+
(PDF Document, 65.35 KB)

National Anthems: Republic of Ireland

Conor McGinn: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the Government's policy is on ministerial attendance at events at which the Irish national anthem is played in (a) the UK, (b) Ireland and (c) the rest of the world.

Ben Gummer: There is no Government policy on this, it is at the discretion of individual Ministers.

EU Nationals: Southwark

Ms Harriet Harman: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people from other EU countries are resident in (a) Camberwell and Peckham constituency and (b) the London Borough of Southwark.

Chris Skidmore: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.



UKSA Letter to Member - Resident of EU Countries
(PDF Document, 115.78 KB)

House of Commons Commission

House of Commons: Senior Civil Servants

Jon Trickett: To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the (a) ethnicity, (b) gender, (c) disability status, (d) educational background and (e) socio-economic status is of the three most senior officials of the House of Commons Commission.

Tom Brake: The Commission does not as a matter of principle publish personal data on easily identifiable individuals. Data is collected on ethnicity, gender and disability status of staff on a voluntary basis and with a guarantee of anonymity. Data is not collected on “educational background” or “socio-economic status”. The hon. Member may of course wish to write to individual staff to ask such questions.